Back In My Day
by seanbiggerstaffrox
Summary: Arthur and Merlin's relationship takes a drastic change when another prince takes an interest in the wizard. Prince Aldwin is an original character. Prince Aldwin/Merlin, will be Arthur/Merlin. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay so I wrote this story a year ago and just recently found my rough draft. I decided I'd write up the story and post it. In lieu of homework.

By the way, Aldwin looks like this:

http:/ www. flickr_com/ photos/_27405381_N04/2569859104

(Take out the spaces/underscores. If the Link doesn't work it's Edward Speleers photographed by Kai Z Feng)

Anyway, I noticed how, in the show, every time the Dragon summons Merlin it's hanging out on the roof of the cave. I mean, he knows Merlin's coming. Why is he always up there? Anyway, I wrote a part into the story but it didn't really fit in but I liked it so much I wanted to share it with you guys:

_Merlin lay in his bed, mind whirring. The day had been excruciatingly slow and tiring and all he'd wanted was to go to bed. But now that he was here he just couldn't seem to get to sleep. _

"_Merlin…"_

'_**Not again.' **__Merlin thought hiding his head under his pillow, trying to block out the voice. _

"_Merlin…"_

_Of course it didn't work since the voice was in his head. _

'_Damn Dragon.' He thought. _

"_I heard that. Now get down here you ungrateful brat."_

_Merlin sighed and got up, figuring it would be easier to just go see the beast. After all, it's not like the dragon had anything pressing to do. He had the entire night, heck, his entire lifetime to annoy Merlin. _

"_I'll have you know that…"_

_The dragon began a long winded rant that didn't end until Merlin was outside its prison-well, cave…well, Prison-cave. _

_Merlin stepped inside the dark and dreary space the dragon was in. _

"_I'm here. What do you want?" Merlin yelled. _

_The dragon flew downwards, chain fluttering. _

"_Why are you always up there after you summon me?" He asked, irritated. _

"_Better Service." _

"_What?"_

"_Dragon Joke. It'll be funnier when cell phones are invented."_

Well, at least that's my explanation. And the Dragon can see into the future…so it's valid.

**Back in My Day**:

_Chapter 1; 'Back in My Day…There's wasn't such a thing as Sexual Harassment.' _

_Sweat drizzled down his body, flesh coming together, hard and fast and hot. Merlin arched up as glimpses of blonde hair and muscled flesh danced around him. He was being pushed down, pressed against, licked and sucked everywhere. Sensations dizzying and endless he couldn't contain himself. Noises were being ripped out of him and he felt ready to burst. Something was boiling inside him, pushing to the surface._

_"Ah…oh, please!" he moaned, desperate._

_A gasped chuckle permeated his clouded mind before lips attacked his neck and then thrusting, oh god was there thrusting. Desperate and heavy and better than anything he could have imagined._

_He clutched and arched and moaned and gasped and moved because dear god he couldn't to anything else until._

"Ah!" Merlin arched awake, something ripping itself out of him.

He groaned, looking down at the stickiness in his trousers.

"Bollocks." He muttered.

These dreams had been haunting him for a week. He wasn't sure who they were about or why he was having them. He did, of course, know _what _they were about and that they were about a boy.

He gave a frustrated groan, grabbing the spell book from under his bed.

"There has to be something." He muttered, biting his lip.

He scratched his bare chest and ran a hand through his hair in aggravation. The idea had struck him a few days ago, when the dreams had gotten more…detailed. There had to be some sort of spell to make the dreams stop. They were driving him crazy, in more ways than one.

Well, this one looked interesting. It didn't do anything for the dreams but it did clean clothes.

"_Innir malk lothlor"_

He got the odd sensation of soap and vigorous scrubbing but when he looked down his trousers were spotless. Too spotless. That might be suspicious.

He thought about using the spell on himself but reconsidered when he remembered the sensation.

He was over at t he basin scrubbing himself off when an angry shout from outside startled him.

"Merlin! Where is that good-for-nothing bumbling idiot of a-" the angry mumbling got closer and closer to his bedroom door until it was right outside.

Merlin's eyes went wide as he glanced from his door to the spell book lying open on his bed.

"MERLIN!"

The door slammed open just as he dive-bombed for his bed, sitting on the book as hastily as he could.

Arthur hesitated, looking at him in a mixture of suspicion and anger.

Merlin would have been more worried had he not been momentarily distracted by Arthur's appearance. The Prince was a disheveled mess, clothes tied improperly and with patchy, improperly proportioned lumps puffing out. Merlin fought back a smirk and looked back up at Arthur, remembering the realities of his predicament.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Oh crap, there was that smile. The one that said 'I'm angry and going to kill you' and usually signified a week of grueling chores and lots of mucking out the stables.

"Nothing. Waiting for you. How have you been?" Merlin said casually, resting his head on his chin as though they were having a discussion.

"Oh fantastic Merlin! Except my idiotic sorry excuse of a servant forgot the royal council are arriving today for the annual meeting in oh- an hour. So no one woke me up, I haven't bathed, and I had to dress myself." If looks could kill, well, he'd have been dead MONTHS ago but this one was probably just angry enough to bring him back and kill him again…and again and again and again.

"And how did that go?"

"MERLIN!"

"Okay, aright. I'll be there in a minute. Just wait outside."

"What are you hiding?" Arthur made a gesture to move towards him.

"An hour Arthur." Merlin reminded him.

Arthur paused then gave a frustrated growl.

"Fine, but I will find out." He said threateningly. He left resignedly, the door slamming shut behind him.

Merlin breathed a sight of relief. He was just getting up when the door opened again, prompting him to sit back down hastily.

"Oh, and Merlin…"

"Yes, sire."

"Next time, put on a shirt."

Merlin blushed at Arthur's pointed look, covering himself with his arms and glaring.

Merlin rushed after Arthur down the hall. After a lot of scrambling and sneaky magic they managed to get ready in 45 minutes. This gave them about, oh, 5 minutes to get to the castle entry if you counted the morning squabble and Merlin trying to get ready amidst Arthur's constant interruptions and impatience.

They managed to get to the castles entrance just before the first guests began to arrive. Uther shot Arthur a look that said they'd be going over proper prince etiquette in excruciating detail before the day was out.

Merlin watched with interest as people began to filter through the gate. Everyone was donning royal clothes and seated regally upon their horses. It was all very boring really. Though, based on all the other times they had royal guests (or any guests really,) it wouldn't be boring for long.

It seemed that every day since he'd moved to Camelot had a plot. Which usually involved magic, monsters, and Merlin having to save Arthur's life – again. His anxiety kicked in as he imagined just how many of the guests were going to try to kill the Prince. Or enchant him. Both were viable choices.

Merlin observed as Uther and Arthur greeted the guests. They were kindly and gentile, with hidden authority. No one would expect that Arthur threw hissy-fits when he had to dress himself. Or his boots were dirty. Or there was the slightest draft coming into his room from the smallest crack in the window latches. Or there was pea under his mattress making him black and blue all over.

They had met several families already and quite a few maidens seemed interested in Arthur, flashing coy smiles and looking at him under their eyelashes. Merlin looked around longingly as another maiden gave Arthur 'the eye.' He was becoming irritated and uncomfortable and dying to go tend to the horses or something. Anything to get away from the boredom.

"Aldwin! Behave yourself!"

Merlin snapped to attention when he heard an angry hissed order. Two men were riding towards them. Well, a man and a boy his and Arthur's age. The boy, Aldwin, was flirting and winking at a passing servant. She looked slightly uncomfortable, shooting a slight smile before hurrying away.

"Oh relax Father. Enjoy yourself; foreign country, foreign _ladies._" Aldwin said, putting emphasis on the word ladies.

"The ladies in our kingdom and the ladies in Uther's are the same." The man hissed.

"Oh I don't know about that. I think the ladies here are far more attractive than the ones at home. Right Rowan." Aldwin turned towards the maiden riding next to him.

It was obvious from their appearance that they were brother and sister. Rowan and Aldwin shared a set of smoky, narrow eyes and, while Rowan's hair was a very light brown, the golden streaks in it matched the colour of Aldwin's golden locks. However, Rowan had very soft features while her brother maintained a harsher, more firm build.

"Aldwin." His father snapped. "Would you just behave and- Aldwin, pay attention." He barked when Aldwin's eyes strayed to a passing female. "Now, you're about to meet the prince so remember; smile, greet him, shake his hand, and compliment. Understand?"

Aldwin sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Father." He said sarcastically.

It was a good thing that Uther and Arthur had been busy greeting another family. Merlin had been the only one to overhear the situation.

"Ah, King Bayard." Uther said as Aldwin and his father dismounted their horses and approached the Pendragons.

"Uther." King Bayard had suddenly turned graceful and charming, gripping Uther's hand firmly. "You look well. And this must be your son Arthur." He said, turning to the Prince. "My, Arthur, you've certainly grown."

Arthur responded with a polite nod. Bayard glanced at Aldwin pointedly.

The air was tense as Aldwin stepped towards Arthur.

First, he smiled. Then he gripped onto Arthur's hand and shot his father a smirk.

"_Greetings_, Arthur." He said, shaking Arthur's hand. "Allow me to _compliment_ you on you're…" He paused glancing around. As everyone waited expectantly he furrowed his brows and turned back to Arthur. "On your very pouty lips."

Arthur pulled his hand away quickly, looking uncomfortable. Bayard looked mortified, Uther looked slightly amused, and Merlin…well, Merlin was laughing. Hard.

"Merlin."

He snapped his head up to see Arthur glaring and he quickly tried to school his features into a serious expression.

"Yes sire." He managed to choke out, a slight giggle following at the end.

"Perhaps you should attend to the horses." Great, now he was in for it.

"Yes sire." Merlin said, biting his lip and rushing off.

He glanced back as he grabbed a horse's reins, to see Aldwin giving him a look that caused a tingly feeling in his stomach and heat to rise to his face. Blushing and stumbling a bit he rushed off with the horse, mind flashing to last nights dream.

Merlin was in a daze as he entered the stables and began to remove the horse's saddle. He placed the saddle aside and began to groom the horse. It was a royal requirement that the horses be groomed when placed in the stable. He thought bitterly on how dispensable he seemed in comparison to even the horses. Not that the horses deserved less than him. But equal treatment or at least near equal treatment would be appreciated.

He wondered how Aldwin treated his servants. He couldn't help but feel that thinking of the boy, even this minutely, after only knowing him for barely a minute was somewhat unhealthy. Or at least abnormal.

He then thought of the look Aldwin had given him. Hungry and Heated. He wondered what it would be like if Arthur gave him that look…Well, to be fair Arthur had given Merlin that look before. But it was in more of an 'I'm going to eat you alive and burn you to death' Hungry and Heated.

"I don't believe I caught your name." Said a voice from behind him, desperately close to his ear; it was husky and definitely male. Merlin shivered slightly.

He turned around to find Aldwin standing behind him. There was barely an inch between them.

"Um, is there anything I can help you with, sire?" He asked, voice meek.

"That's a strange name. Though I suppose it's fitting for a servant." Aldwin said, cheekily. Merlin bristled, which only seemed to cause the smirk on Aldwin's face to grow.

"It's Merlin, sire." He muttered, mild irritation beginning to set it.

"Well, _Merlin._" He responded, leaning closer to the brunette. "You're not a very good servant." He seemed to take some pride out of Merlin's irritation.

"Yes, sire." He ground out. He had to fight down his sneer, still not used to the class differences of Camelot. He could barely maintain a proper relationship with Arthur and now this arse-hole was getting snarky.

"And you're dress sense is just ghastly. Arthur should really take better care of his servants. You barely look like a peasant. A royal servant should be dressed in something that at least qualifies as clothing." He said this while picking at Merlin's clothes.

"Yes, sire." He murmured. This was oddly reminiscent of his first meeting with Arthur. When he'd seen the prince picking on a servant he wondered why anyone would allow for such treatment. And yet here he was, being picked on and allowing for it.

"Oh, and you're hair. At least get a cut, young man."

"Yes, sire." Merlin muttured. "Actually-" He snapped, interrupting Aldwin talking about his ears. "No, sire." Aldwin's face changed to amusement.

"No?" He asked.

"No, talk to me whichever way you like in public but when in private I refuse to be treated this way. These are my clothes and I'm quite happy to wear them. Besides, you can dress an arse in whatever you like," He said, purposefully gesturing towards Aldwin's attire. "But it's still an arse."

Aldwin stared down at him for a few seconds. Merlin's heart began to beat fast and his brain went through the list of possible repercussions.

"Whoo." Aldwin said with a laugh. "You're a feisty one. I knew it the moment I saw you." He seemed carefree now; relaxed and warm. Merlin looked at him in confusion.

"Excuse me?" He asked, still angry but no longer sure why.

"I wasn't sure so I had to take you for a test run but I quite like you Merlin." He smiled at him.

"You mean that-" Merlin made a gesture to symbolize their conversation.

"I wanted to see your reaction."

Merlin stared at him in shock. "That is quite positively the stupidest thing anyone has ever done." He was angry again.

"Possibly. But no one ever said I was smart." Aldwin was taking some odd sort of joy out of this scenario.

"You…" Merlin gaped at him. Aldwin stepped a little closer.

"You're very pretty." He said, running a hand along Merlin's jaw.

"What are you doing?" Merlin protested, pushing the hand away. Aldwin just smirked.

"I like you very much." He said, holding Merlin's face with one hand and leaning down.

"We only just met." Merlin said, trying to pull away from the arm snaking around his waist.

"All the more reason. We're only here for a week or two so if we start now than we have more time." It almost seemed logical, actually.

"Wait…you mean…" Merlin was frozen.

"Sex." Aldwin said happily.

Merlin blushed a deep shade of red. "You're insane." He spluttered, struggling in Aldwin's grasp. Aldwin changed targets and instead went for his neck. Merlin Eep'd when a tongue slowly ran along his jugular. "What are you-No, stop!" He protested. Pushing against the other boys chest a small groan escaped him. Aldwin had found a particularly sensitive spot.

"That's it." Aldwin whispered in satisfaction as Merlin started to relax.

"W-wait." He said, some fight coming back in him as he was pressed against the stable wall. He began to struggle, holding Aldwin's arms back with his hand. Aldwin just chuckled and grabbed his wrists. With one hand he held Merlin's arms above his head, using the other to hold his neck. He leaned down slowly and Merlin's breath hitched. He tried to move his head away but Aldwin's grip held firm. Their lips came into contact and he froze. Aldwin pressed firmly, enjoying the slight whimper from the other boy. His tongue snaked out, rubbing along the full lips beneath his. The brunette gasped as a tongue invaded his mouth, massaging it sensually. Heat began to feel him and he let out a small moan. His eyes slipped shut as Aldwin pressed against him more firmly, his mind going completely blank.

"Excuse me, sire!" Merlin jumped in surprise as a voice spoke from stable doors. Aldwin looked over lazily, not in the least bit irked.

"What is it?" He sounded more irritated than anything.

"Prince Arthur wishes to have word with Merlin." Gwen said, looking very embarrassed and out of place.

"What about?"

"It seems that some horses have escaped from the stable." Gwen muttered.

Merlin gaped before staring at Aldwin.

"Oops." Aldwin said sheepishly. "Must have left the door open."

"Arse." Merlin muttered before struggling to get away from him.

"Oh, don't be like that Merl', we had something good going here." Aldwin said, smirk back in place. Merlin finally managed to get out from under him.

"First off you insult me, and then you do _that_," He said, gesturing at the stable wall. "And on top of it all you get me in trouble with Arthur by leaving the stable open." He exclaimed, stomping over to the door.

"Merlin?" Gwen said, following after him.

"Arthur, huh? Interesting." Aldwin chuckled evilly.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2; 'Back in My day… "Gay" meant happy' _

Merlin huffed as he left the stable, feeling embarrassed and furious.

"Merlin, about back there-what happened in the stables?" Gwen panted, hurrying to catch up with him. He glanced at her, blushing deeply. She was looking at him in a mixture of worry and embarrassment. Merlin heaved a sigh, desperately needing to ask her a question. He stopped walking and turned to face her.

"How much did you see?" His voice broke as he asked; whether from hesitation or shame he wasn't sure.

"Just you…pressed against a wall… with the Prince of Cornwall's tongue shoved down your throat. Seriously, Merlin, are you stupid?" She became incredulous. "Of all the things you've done this is the worst."

"It wasn't my fault. He just...surprised me." As true as it was the excuse still sounded dumb.

"Merlin, this isn't good. If Aldwin's got his eye on you-uh oh." Gwen stopped short, eyes focused on his neck.

"What, what is it?" He asked, panicked.

"Where's your neckerchief?" She muttered voice faint. Merlin reached his hand up to feel for it, hissing as he bumped a particularly sensitive area of skin.

"Ow. Do I have a bruise?" He asked, craning his neck for her to see.

"Sort of." She sounded reluctant.

"What do you mean 'sort of'-Nooo." He protested eyes wide. "Tell me he didn't."

"He did, Merlin." She said fearfully. "The Prince of Cornwall has given you a hickey. And it doesn't look as though it will be going away anytime soon."

"Shite." He cursed, covering it with his hand. "Where's my neckerchief?" He looked around desperately.

"Merlin!"

The both froze. The temperature of Camelot seemed to drop 50 degrees as they both shivered, turning to stare at Arthur.

"Merlin, you lazy, stupid, piece of absolutely uselessness. You are, by far, the _worst _servant I've ever had." Arthur continued to verbally berate him as he approached. "How could you let the horses escape? We just managed to round up the last one but it was absolute chaos." He paused. "Why are you holding your neck?" The prince asked, looking at him in confusion. Merlin opened his mouth to try to explain but Arthur started speaking again. "No, never mind. I don't want to know. You've made a fool of the whole Kingdom. And worse still you-you know what, I do want to know. Why are you holding your neck?"

Merlin glanced at Gwen awkwardly.

"You see I was…"

"Kicked by a horse!" Gwen burst out excitedly. Merlin looked at her in terror.

Arthur surveyed them quietly.

"On the neck?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Merlin croaked, making his voice sound faint and crackly. If he were, indeed, kicked by a horse in the neck he assumed he would have trouble talking.

"And that's why the horses got lose, sire." Gwen said. They both glanced at each other frantically, hoping that Arthur believed them.

The prince continued to stare at them with furrowed brows.

"Let me see." He ordered.

"What?" Merlin asked, feeling like a deer during one of Arthur's hunts.

"Show me your bruise, Merlin." The prince said, voice giving away his irritation.

"Of course." Merlin coughed, hesitantly removing his hand from his neck. Arthur stepped closer to inspect it. The brunette blushed as the prince's warm breath hit his neck. At such close proximity he could feel the heat emanating from the other boys body. He looked over at Gwen who was looking on in earnest.

"That doesn't look like a horse print." The blond boy said. "In fact it looks more like a-" He stepped back looking at Merlin in shock. "You…" He glanced between Merlin and Gwen in surprise. "Merlin, you sly dog!" He exclaimed with a jovial grin. "Of course you can't tell Morgana."

"What?" The brunette boy murmured.

"I'm so glad you've got a Lady. You know some of the knights were starting to wonder but I knew you'd come around." The prince wrapped his arm around Merlin's shoulders, rubbing his head with one of his fists in a brotherly manner.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Merlin yelled, struggling in Arthur's hold.

"You and Gwen." The other boy said excitedly. The two servants glanced at each other.

"Of course. Me… and Gwen!" Merlin said, looking at her pleadingly. She shot him a glare before smiling at Arthur.

"Yes, me and Merlin." She said quietly.

"Congratulations. But you have to keep it a secret. Father frowns on servant relations." Arthur warned. "And don't think you're off the hook for the horses. You'll still have your punishment. Now, you two lovers say good bye. Merlin, I'll be waiting by the stairs to escort you to father." The blonde boy walked off, seemingly in a better mood.

"That was weird." Merlin stated, staring after the prince.

"He seemed so…normal." Gwen choked out.

They both glanced at each other and laughed.

"Seriously, Gwen? Kicked by a horse?" Merlin chuckled.

"At least I thought of something." Gwen countered, laughing as well.

"It was better than what I came up with."

"And what was that?" She asked.

"A horse gave me a hickey."

Gwen laughed with disgust and amusement.

"That's absolutely revolting." She chuckled.

There were several moments of contented silence before Merlin felt it was time to go.

"Well, wish me luck." He sighed, waving goodbye and heading for the castle.

**1 Hour Later:**

Merlin sighed, listening to the slow drip of water fall from the stone ceiling. The dungeon was starting to feel like a third home to him, the first being his actual home and the second being Gaius'. He shivered as his mind flashed back to the courtroom, the stone cell becoming infinitely colder at the memory.

_Flashback:_

"_This is one of the most important events in all of Camelot and you have made a mockery of it." Uther growled. He was more furious than Merlin had ever seen him. "The meeting of the Kingdoms is vital towards the wealth fare of our nation and you have jeopardized it with your stupidity."_

"_Father." Arthur started to intervene. _

"_Arthur, be quiet." Uther snapped. _

"_But Father-"_

"_You will respect me in my court!" Uther roared. "Unless you want to go in the dungeons with this useless servant of yours." _

_Merlin's head snapped up. Arthur eyed him in concern. _

"_Yes, you heard me. You're to stay down in the dungeons until I think you're ready to come out." Uther looked at him with sadistic glee. "Take him away." He said to his guards, waving them away with his hand. _

_End Flashback_

Everything had seemed so simple this morning. He groaned and leaned his head against the wall, longing for the comfort of his bed.

'_**Merlin…'**_

The brunette boy froze. It was the Dragon again.

'_**Merlin…'**_

He leaned his head down, pressing his ear to the stone.

'_**Merlin…'**_

He crawled along the floor, listening for the voice. If the dragon was right below he might be able to help him in some way.

'_**Merlin…'**_

Merlin had stopped in the middle of the floor, back turned to the dungeon bars.

"Hello?" He whispered.

"_Hell_oo." Merlin wasn't sure how but the voice behind him had managed to make 'hello' sound sexual. Looking behind him he groaned. It was Aldwin.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"From the looks of your position you were waiting for me." The other boy said with a lecherous smile.

Merlin blushed fiercely. He quickly got up off the floor and stared at Aldwin in anger.

"Why are you here?" He growled, hands clenching into fists. This prince was really starting to get on his nerves.

"You forgot this." Aldwin stated, holding up a familiar piece of red material.

Merlin gaped at him. He rushed forward, reaching out to grab his neckerchief. Aldwin pulled the fabric away at the last minute, grabbing hold of the brunette's arm.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" He snapped. _'They should really have guards in the dungeon area' _Merlin thought. He braced his free hand against the bars and tried to pull the other arm free.

"Was he mad?" Aldwin asked conspiratorially.

"Who?"

"Arthur." Aldwin stated this as if it should be obvious.

"Mad about what?" The brunette was beginning to feel nervous.

"About the hickey." Merlin stared into Aldwin's deep blue eyes, expecting devilish fire to erupt in them at any moment.

"Did you steal my neckerchief?" Merlin was started to get really freaked out.

"No." For the first time Aldwin actually looked offended. "I'm not a creep. I found it in the stables."

"Oh." Merlin almost apologized before he realized that were it not for Aldwin he wouldn't be down here in the first place.

"So, was he mad?" Aldwin asked.

"Why do you want to know so badly?" Merlin asked suspiciously.

"I just want to make sure I'm not after something that belongs to Arthur." Aldwin said, reaching through the bars to caress Merlin's cheeks.

"Technically I'm his servant." The brunette pointed out. Hoping that might dissuade the boy.

"Ah, but I'm not looking for servitude from you. Well, not the kind you're used to anyway." These words were said in a low husky voice that sent a shiver up Merlin's spine.

"Let go of me." He squeaked. He once more tugged at his arm but it was no use, Aldwin's grip remained firm. The prince pulled his arm until Merlin's body was pressed completely against the bars.

"Ow. Seriously, let go of me or-"

"Or you'll what?" Aldwin asked.

'_Of course. Magic!' _Merlin wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. Or why it hadn't activated. Usually, if he was in a desperate situation, it would activate and help him. He tried to think of a spell that would come in handy but it was no use. The space between the bars was just enough for their lips to meet and Aldwin had taken advantage of that.

Merlin let out a little gasp as he was once again confronted with the prince's lips. They were warm against his and seemed to align themselves perfectly with the curvature of his mouth. His eyes slipped shut and he relaxed into the kiss. _'No. Stay focused.' _Merlin struggled to concentrate but then there was Aldwin's tongue, running along his bottom lip and making him gasp. The tongue snuck between his lips to tangle with his own, causing the most delicious friction. Merlin moaned and Aldwin pressed closer to him through the bars.

"Again?" They both jumped this time, turning to stare at the figure in the doorway. "You guys have got to control yourselves." Gwen huffed.

"That's my cue to leave." Aldwin said, stepping away reluctantly.

"Wait." Merlin called.

The blonde boy turned around, looking somewhat hopeful.

"What about my neckerchief?" Merlin asked. The other boy shrunk in disappointment before smirking.

"I think I'll keep it." He said, tucking the object into his pocket.

"No. Give it back!" The brunette protested.

"Nuh-uh. This way I'll have an excuse to see you again."

Merlin stared in surprise as the blonde boy left.

"Prat." He muttered sullenly.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So you guys can basically blame Ke$ha and author Mellion (who wrote this absolutely fantastic Booth/Sweets story, Wicked Temptation, I know, I shouldn't be promoting someone else's work but it's soooooooo goooood) for my writing craze lately. Seriously, without them I wouldn't have gotten this far. Well, that and all the fabulous reviews I got from absolutely fantastic people. Seriously, reviewers are awesome. Also, I'm sorry if the sex scene isn't very good.

_Chapter 3: 'Back in my day…we didn't have sex videos. You had to watch it live or not at all.'_

**The Next Day:**

Merlin gave a loud yawn and rolled onto his stomach, groaning at the soreness in his back.

"If you keep going like this you're going to get a hump." Said an elderly voice from the door. Merlin turned and grinned at Gaius.

"It might be worth it to get away from your snoring." He responded, smiling cheekily.

"Watch it boy. Or you might have a lot of chores waiting for you when you get out." They smiled at each other. It was nice being around Gaius. He was the only one in all of Camelot that actually made him feel at home. "Ah, I brought something for you." The elderly man said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled a vial containing some sort of dark orange liquid. "It's supposed to ward off illness. There's no telling how long you'll be in here and it's an easy place to get sick."

"Thanks." Merlin said gratefully, already feeling the beginnings of a coughing fit from just one night. He took the vial and tucked it into his pants.

"Also, Gwen came to see me about your…um, bruise." Merlin blushed as Gaius glanced at his neck.

"Did she tell you who-" He started hesitantly.

"No, and I don't want to know." Gaius stated, a blush colouring his cheeks as well. "But," He reached into his pocket once more, pulling out another vial. "This should help it, uh, heal faster." He handed him the bottle hastily, having trouble maintaining eye contact.

"Um…thanks." Merlin whispered, running a hand through his hair abashedly.

"Merlin." Gaius was looking at him sternly now. "You've got to be more careful." His voice took a more desperate tone than before. Merlin felt guilty, knowing he'd caused a lot of trouble for Gaius since his arrival to Camelot.

"I know, Gaius. I'm sorry." He said.

"It's not your fault Merlin. Well, not entirely your fault. Trouble seems to find you, I know. But the trick is not in avoiding trouble, but in hiding it. Remember that." Gaius said pointedly. Merlin felt as if he was missing something in this exchange.

"Um, sure, Gaius." He answered, feeling awkward.

"I have duties to attend to. You try to stay out of trouble." Gaius said before leaving.

Merlin sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out the vials. He took a sip of the orange liquid, gagging as it burned down his throat. He wished that for once Gaius' potions could taste like something edible and not like he'd picked the ingredients off the stable floor. Speaking of the stables, Merlin grabbed the other vial, inspecting the substance inside. It was a sort of peach looking lotion. He was just about to open the vial and rub some on when the door opened.

"Hello, Merl'." Said a cheery voice. The blonde boy strolled in, looking more like an arrogant arse instead of a prince. Granted the two were practically synonyms in Merlin's eyes.

"Don't call me Merl'. And leave me alone." Merlin growled. After just meeting him twice he felt like every meeting left him embarrassed, confused, and terribly aroused. '_Wait. No, not aroused._ _Angry. Embarrassed, aroused, and Angry. No! Confused, angry, and aroused. Dammit! Merlin, get a grip. You do not, I repeat, DO NOT find this asshole attractive in the least. Sure he has nice eyes, his hair is a pretty colour, his jaw is firm and intoxicating, his lips are full and warm, he has this air of mischief that draws you in as he leans towards you-' _Merlin jumped. While he'd gotten distracted thinking about how much he hated Aldwin, the prince had begun leaning towards him the same way he'd done the last two encounters. Merlin rushed away from the bars, retreating to the back of the cell and out of reach. He was looking over at Aldwin defensively.

"Relax, I was just going to give you your neckerchief back." The blonde boy said, pulling the material out of his pocket. "I wasn't going to do anything, I swear." He shook the material, coaxing the brunette forward.

Merlin relaxed, though he was still prepared to escape if needed. Hesitantly, he approached the bars. He kept his eyes on the blonde as, with each step, he got closer to his beloved neckerchief. Aldwin just smiled innocently. Reaching for the clothing he felt relief as he grabbed hold of the material untouched.

"By the way," Merlin froze and looked at Aldwin as the other boy spoke. "I changed my mind." Before Merlin could step back he felt a hand yank on his wrist, propelling him forward.

"Wha-!" He exclaimed in surprise as both of his wrists were pulled above his head. Aldwin just smirked at him wrapping the neckerchief around Merlin's wrists and tying them to the dungeon bars. "W-what are you doing?" Merlin stuttered out, tugging on his wrists to tug them free. It was no use, they didn't budge. He stared at the fabric, summoning all of his magic and attempting to break free. Nothing happened. The brunette began to panic. His magic had never failed him before.

"You just look so adorable. All wide eyed with sleep tussled hair. I really hadn't planned on doing anything until you ran to the back of the cell." Aldwin admitted, staring at him appraisingly. Merlin flushed and continued to struggle.

"Then why did you say you wouldn't do anything?" He asked angrily.

"I believe I said I _wasn't _going to do anything. But now I _am_ going to do anything." The prince's smirk grew as he watched Merlin's face fall in realization.

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin asked desperately, face flushed as he looked at the other boy. "I'm just a servant. Certainly there are other people you'd rather spend your time with, especially in this manner."

Aldwin's face softened as he stared down at him.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" The boy stepped away briefly, grabbing a rope that was hanging on the wall. "But there's just something about you." He reached through the bars, wrapping the rope around Merlin's waist. Merlin shivered as Aldwin's hand ran along his back. "You're special, Merlin." Aldwin said, pulling the rope around some bars and tying it. This left Merlin with his hands restrained above his head and his torso held immobile to the bars. He was completely trapped. "Ah, splendid!" The prince said, admiring his work.

"You're insane." Merlin said, shivering in rage, fear, and just the slightest anticipation.

"Possibly. But enough talking." The blonde boy leaned down, pulling Merlin into another one of his kisses. The brunette attempted to back away but the restraints held firm and, as Aldwin forced his tongue passed Merlin's lips, he wasn't so sure if he wanted to. The kiss progressed gently. Aldwin took his time to explore Merlin's mouth in a slow, dizzying kind of way. The brunette's eyes slipped shut. Despite his protests he felt inexplicably drawn to the kiss and to Aldwin. Their tongues tangled together and Merlin's breath hitched. He found himself leaning toward Aldwin, shuddering as the kiss grew passionate. Their lips pressed harder together and Aldwin's tongue got rougher, no longer exploring Merlin's mouth but claiming it. The brunette began to pant, dizzy from lack of air. Aldwin's mouth moved downward, kissing as much of Merlin's neck as he could get. It was easier with Merlin pressed against the bars. Merlin whined.

He was vaguely aware of hands tugging his shirt upwards. He shivered as his torso was exposed to the cold dungeon air. He let out a little gasp as rough fingers rubbed along his stomach, working their way up. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he let out a surprised moan, arching forward. He looked down at Aldwin with wide eyes.

"My, you're sensitive." Aldwin said, chuckling. Curiously, he rubbed the nipple again, watching as Merlin arched forward, whimpering. Aldwin's lips descended on Merlin's neck once again and he used his hands to rub and tweak at the boys chest.

Merlin's eyes slipped shut and he panted. He felt sparks wrack his body as his chest was manipulated. Little whines burst past his lips.

"Ah...ah...Aldwin." The name had slipped past his lips accidentally, hidden quietly in a moan. But that didn't stop both of them from freezing in surprise.

"What?" Aldwin was looking at him with genuine awe.

"I…I didn't say anything." Merlin stuttered in embarrassment. He was completely mortified.

"Say it again." Aldwin ordered.

"What?" The brunette was confused.

"Say it again." The blonde repeated, staring at him hungrily. He had risen to his full height and looked quite intimidating.

"N-n-no." He was stuttering again, slightly afraid.

The prince smirked down at him.

"Then I'll just have to make you." Merlin's eyes widened and he shivered.

**Outside the Dungeon:**

Arthur walked quickly towards the dungeon. He hadn't been able to see Merlin since yesterday and wanted to make sure he was okay. Gwen had gone to visit him last night though, so Arthur was sure he'd had plenty of entertainment. Arthur growled.

He couldn't quite explain it but he didn't like the idea of Gwen and Merlin as a couple. In fact he downright hated it. It had taken all his strength yesterday to not kill one of them. And by one of them he meant Merlin. Naturally. Why would he want to kill Gwen? Gwen was sweet, pretty, docile; Merlin was…well, Merlin. Yes, killing Merlin made much more sense. Satisfied with his minimal assessment Arthur quickened his pace towards the dungeons. He wasn't sure why he was in such a hurry but he felt anxious. Darting down the steps he was relieved when the door came into view. He slowed down his pace, not wanting to look like he'd rushed to meet Merlin.

He approached the door, hesitating when he heard voices. He grabbed hold of the door handle, heart beating loudly in his ears. Slowly he opened the door, just a crack, and peaked in, heart almost coming to a stop at the sight that met his eyes.

He saw Merlin, arms tied above his head and torso tied to the dungeon bars. And, to his horror, Aldwin stood before him; staring down at him in a way that ignited a rage unlike any Arthur had ever felt before. Before Arthur could burst into the room and tear Aldwin to shreds Merlin did something that froze him in his tracks.

"Nnn…Ah!" Merlin moaned, hips rocking. Aldwin's hand had moved to the front of Merlin's trousers, running his finger gently along the brunette's erection. Arthur's heart thumped in his chest as he stared at his servant. The boy's hair was mussed in a way that sent sparks of intrigue soaring through Arthur, and his half lidded eyes held a world lust and promises that Arthur desperately wanted to explore. His lips were bruised a lovely shade of red, sweet moans emanating from between them and his lovely, pale skin flushed a gorgeous shade of pink.

"If you want more, all you have to do is say it." Aldwin said voice low and husky. He pressed a little harder on Merlin's erection before stilling his hand entirely.

Merlin bit his lip, eyes falling closed. His body was shaking and his head hung low, shame and desire radiating from him in waves. Arthur felt heat coil in his body.

"Ah-Aldwin." Merlin moaned, desperate and pleading.

"Now ask me to touch you." Aldwin smirked.

"Please." Merlin shook with need. "Please touch me…" Aldwin smiled, undoing Merlin's trousers. Arthur watched in anticipation as his servant's member was freed from its restraints. He held back a gasp as he stared at the dripping appendage. Aldwin's hand wrapped slowly around it and Arthur watched Merlin's reaction. "Oh!" The boy cried out, body jolting. As Aldwin's wrapped hand ran up and down Merlin's member small moans and gasps escaped him. Merlin's hands clenched into fists, arms tensing in their restraints; His head was pressed against one of the bars, pants slipping between his lips. Arthur's eyes then went to Merlin's hips. He watched hungrily as they rocked back and forth. They were only tiny movements due to the restraints but that only served to make the image all the more erotic. Aldwin ran his finger along the tip of Merlin's penis, drawing an almost pained moan from him. His head then descended to Merlin's chest, sucking and nibbling on one of his nipples.

"N-no!" Merlin protested, shaking.

"No?" Aldwin questioned, smirking up at the boy.

"T-too much." Arthur shivered. The image of Merlin protesting from _too much pleasure _was the most intensely erotic thing he could have ever witnessed.

Aldwin once again descended on servant's chest. He licked and sucked methodically, nibbling every so often to the joy of a trembling Merlin. He sped up his hand, a symphony of moans accompanying it. One look at Merlin's face and Arthur could tell he was lost in pleasure. His body arched, every single muscle in his body tensed, and his hips rocked uncontrollably. There was a fine sheen of sweat forming on what little of Merlin's skin was visible, accentuating his deep flush. Arthur's eyes raked over his form before freezing on his neck. The hickey.

Several hickeys now covered his neck but Arthur's eyes honed in on the one from yesterday. He felt a cold dread fill his spine as he realized that Aldwin had been with Merlin in the stables. Every fiber of his being lit up in anger. Arthur could feel the jealousy boil in his veins. Nothing would ever be able to counter his complete and utter hatred for Aldwin.

"Ah!" Merlin let out a cry that sounded more like a sob. Arthur stared once again. Merlin was frozen as wave after wave of pleasure over took him. Aldwin continued to stroke him as he began to orgasm, sending aftershocks through him. Arthur was completely in awe at the sight. Angry as he was at Aldwin, the sight of Merlin at his peak of pleasure filled him with such a need that it over rode any other emotions. Unable to take it anymore he left, rushing up the stairs and running through the halls. He didn't know where he was going but he knew he needed to get away.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So, just to let everyone know, there actually is a plot to this story. It's not just sex. Well, the sex is most of the plot but there are other elements. Also, I don't know why I have such a fixation on the neckerchief. I really don't. I know no one has mentioned it but I do seem overly obsessed with the bugger.

So…. **ABOUT MY NECKERCHEIF FIXATION:**

I've concocted 3 explanations, you can choose one or combine them all into one super explanation, I don't care:

I have a weird and erotic association with neckwear. And, while I'm not yet ready to discover the psychological implications of it, I'm perfectly willing to admit it.

In relationships there's usually one object that has an associative quality to it. An object that reminds you of the other person and as a result comes to represent them. The neckerchief represents Aldwin (or Arthur, I'm not sure yet. I've never been very good at symbolism.)

The neckerchief is a metaphor for Merlin's virginity. (You know, I meant that as a joke but it's disturbing how much sense it makes. Oh yeah bitches! My story, like Shrek, has layers.)

**P.S. **For those of you who don't know Crème Chantilly is basically whipped cream with vanilla and sugar. I mention it briefly in this chapter. But it may show up later. Fun fact: While Arthur takes place in the 6th Century, Crème Chantilly wasn't invented till 1671. However, since sugar didn't arrive in Europe till the 12th Century – Actually, you guys don't care about my weird interest in the history of desserts. On with the story!

_Chapter 4; 'Back in My day...a rubber was an eraser.'_

Merlin stared ahead blankly, eyes glazed and unfocused. The sun hung high in the sky, and Merlin watched the light as it bounced off the stone. After a long while he moved, turning his head to look at the rag on the floor. It looked innocent enough, simple red fabric that he'd wrapped around his neck happily for years. But now it was soiled. He'd thought about putting it on again, at least to cover the hickeys, but now it just seemed wrong. He felt disgusted as he looked at it, wishing that Aldwin had taken it. Merlin angrily grabbed the neckerchief and threw it. It didn't fly very far, instead fluttering innocently to the ground barely a foot away. He tried to ignore it; which, of course, didn't work. Feeling annoyingly aware of its existence he picked it up, burying it under a pile of straw. At least this way he wouldn't have to look at it.

Exhaustion settling in he collapsed back onto the stone. While it was still too early in the day to sleep it still felt nice to lie down. He stared up at the stone ceiling, mind wandering.

_Aldwin's tongue-_

Merlin quickly tried to push the thought from his mind before he'd even finished it.

_Aldwin's fingers…_

No, he refused to think about it.

_Aldwin's mouth…_

Groaning he covered his face. He could feel the heat of his blush on his fingertips. He rolled onto his stomach, closing his eyes and trying to clear his mind. It was no use. His body tingled in remembrance as images danced in his mind. Shivering he struggled to make sense of the situation in his head.

He came up blank. All he could say for sure was that Aldwin was a raging pervert and for some bizarre reason that turned him on. Which by default would make him a pervert. At least…he thought it did. But he wasn't overly obsessed with sex. And he didn't think of it on a daily basis. At least, he thought he didn't…Quickly, and with an air of panic, he tried to recall what he thought about most of the time. Well that was easy: Arthur and food. There was nothing sexual about that…actually, now that he really thought about it…

Merlin coughed awkwardly as an image involving Arthur and a royal delicacy called Crème Chantilly danced in his head. That was definitely not something he'd ever thought of before. He blamed Aldwin.

"Merlin!" The Brunette jumped as his name was yelled from outside the dungeon. "Merlin!" Gwen burst into the room, breath ragged as she hurried over to him.

"What is it?" He asked, worried.

"Put on your neckerchief!" She exclaimed.

"What? Why?"

"For God sakes, just do it!" She yelled. Something in her tone of voice spurred him into action. Rushing towards the pile of hay he felt desperately before grasping the material. He heard steps coming down the stairs and quickly wrapped the material around his neck, tying the knot just as Uther walked into the room.

Merlin felt a rush of gratitude towards her. He couldn't imagine what sort of punishment he would receive if the King discovered his…marks. He was even afraid to do so much as think the word around the king.

"Leave us." The King ordered Gwen. She nodded her head respectively before rushing from the room.

Merlin prepared himself for the worst as the King turned to him. Uther let out a small sigh, reluctance displayed all over his features.

"You are an idiot." The King growled. "I can not stress how much havoc you have wreaked on my life since you've showed up in my Kingdom." Merlin felt irritated. If anything it was the complete opposite. The Pendragons were a breeding ground for trouble and his life had been far more peaceful without them. Yet they kept trying to blame him for it. Prats. "You are a lowly servant and I would have dispensed of you long ago. I just want to make that absolutely clear before I continue. Do you understand?"

Merlin nodded slowly, unsure where this was going.

"It seems that while I find you completely useless, Arthur does not. You help him and are obviously an important part of his maturation." The King looked almost in pain as he talked, struggling to get the words out. "You seem to possess the ability to talk Arthur out of stupid decisions. Though you are the cause of most of them." Uther paused for a long while before he continued. "I am willing to let you free right now." Merlin felt hope swell in his chest. "On one condition." Uther added. The hope drained right out of him. "You are to be kept under constant supervision at all times. If I see you wandering around by yourself it's right back to the dungeons." Uther looked at him very seriously.

"Yes, sire." Merlin said, happiness filling him.

Uther looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. He quickly called a guard in, ordering him unlock the cell and escort Merlin back to Gaius'.

Merlin walked behind the man, following him up the stairs and through the halls. As he walked happy to be let loose from the dungeons, he couldn't help but wonder why he was being let free. Especially if Uther was just going to place him under supervision. He might as well be left in the cell.

**Earlier that Day:**

Uther sat in his court, reviewing the treaty from last year's meeting of the Kingdoms. The other royalty was currently being treated to a hunt as the King had taken time to prepare for today's meeting. He sighed as, though the task at hand was infinitely important, he felt his mind stray. He really wanted to take a nap.

He was brought back from thoughts of his bed when he heard footsteps approaching his study. He quickly straightened from his slumped over position, schooling his face into one of sternness and composure. The door opened and Arthur walked into the room, looking furious, though he tried to hide it.

"Father." His voice shook slightly.

"Yes, Arthur?" Uther asked, curious what his son wanted.

"How long are you planning on keeping Merlin in the dungeons?" There was a hint of challenge in Arthur's voice that Uther rarely heard. Except for when he was talking about his servant.

Uther heaved a sigh. In all honesty he'd forgotten about Merlin.

"As long as I deemed fit." He said, not in the mood to deal with the situation.

"Father, we need all the help we can get. With the meeting the servants are overworked as it is." Arthur said. He fidgeted a little as he looked up at Uther pitifully.

"Why don't you leave the decision making to me." Uther was beginning to feel frustrated.

"Father, I just…" Arthur ran a hand over his face. He was far less composed than usual and clearly his mind was anywhere but here. "I just don't like Merlin being in there." He froze up quite suddenly, focus on the window. Uther turned but only saw Aldwin. When he turned back Arthur was gone, door swinging shut behind him. It soon opened again though, Gaius shuffling in and giving him 'the look.'

"I suppose you heard all of that." Uther said, familiar enough with 'the look' to know what it meant. "And you too think I should release Merlin." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I think it would be prudent, sire." Uther mentally groaned, knowing when he'd been beat. The unintentional puppy dog eyes from Arthur combined with Gaius' influence always got him in the end.

"I'll consider it." He sneered, but they both know that meant he'd given in.

Naturally, a few hours later he found himself going down to the dungeons, prepared to set Merlin free. And, as he'd gazed down at the boy and caught sight of familiar kiss inspired bruises peaking out from the neckerchief, he began to realize exactly why Arthur wanted him released.

**A/N: OH, and I forgot to ask, **one reviewer asked about the possibility of a threesome. Okay, frankly, I would fricken love to write a threesome. I mean, yeah, in the end it would be Arthur/Merlin in a permanent relationship, but the idea of Merlin squished between a sweaty Arthur and Aldwin while they fondled and licked and squeezed until he couldn't take it anymore and then they- (cough) well, as you can, I very much like the idea. Plus, then I would have an excuse to write about Aldwin doing naughty things to Arthur and I have to admit, I find the idea very intriguing (and outrageously and inexplicably hot. I mean, picture Aldwin pinning Arthur to the table, making him shudder in pleasure as he licked along Arthur's skin, Arthur wondering if this is how Merlin felt in the dungeons but then completely distracted as-OMG, I WANT TO WRITE IT SO BAD!) Still, I don't mind not writing it. So, leave a review and tell me what you think. By the way, this chapter;s so short because if you guys are totally for the threesome thing the next chapter will have Aldwin/Arthur naughty goodness. I'm holding out.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, you guys, so forget anything I ever said about a threesome or Arthur/Aldwin stuff. (I know, sad face.) I took a nap and an idea came to my mind. A glorious idea. A marvelous idea. A groundbreaking (not really) idea. I figured out someone who would be perfect for Aldwin. And it's soo hot. It's absolutely fantastically hot and now everything has fallen into place and my head is about to burst from excitement and naughtiness. Seriously, when I thought of this I couldn't stop letting out pervy giggles. That's how awesome it is. Anyway (naughty giggle) it won't be that surprising but it'll be really hot. If I could I would totally squee right now.

_**Chapter 5; 'Back in my day...uh...something about dinosaurs.'**_

Merlin walked into Gaius' chambers, sighing in relief. He hadn't been in the dungeons long but he did miss this place. Gaius was stirring some sort of potion at his work table but paused when Merlin walked in.

"Merlin." He said cheerfully. "I see Uther let out."

"Yeah, but with one exception." He said, nodding to the guard who'd escorted him in. "I have to be under surveillance."

"Well, I'm here. So there's no need for the guard." Gaius said, giving the man a pointed look.

The guard left quickly, looking somewhat flustered.

"Here, I'm sure you need to eat." Gaius grabbed a pot full of oatmeal and emptied some into a bowl. Merlin, who usually found the food somewhat unappetizing, began to eat with gusto, finally realizing how hungry he had been. "After you eat you should go see Arthur."

Merlin's stomach flipped, though he wasn't sure why. Hurrying he finished his meal.

"You must've been hungry." Gaius said, looking at them empty bowl in surprise.

"Yeah." Merlin muttered sheepishly. He had, indeed, been very hungry but for some reason the thought of seeing Arthur had made him eat far faster than he would've. "Well, I best be off." He said, getting up from the table and heading to the door.

"Uh, Merlin. Aren't you forgetting something?" He turned to see Gaius giving him a look. Merlin gaped a little, trying to figure out what Gaius meant. "You're being kept under supervision, remember."

Merlin deflated with a groan.

"Gaius, do you think that maybe you could take me to Arthur's?" He asked, feeling like a child.

"Fine, but wait until I finish this potion. I'll get my deliveries done as well."

Merlin sat down at the table, staring as Gaius stirred. He felt a swell of impatience as he waited, unsure why he was so desperate. Time seemed to pass desperately slow though.

"Merlin, that's awfully distracting." Gaius said.

Merlin had been tapping his fingers along the wood of the table. "Oh, sorry Gaius. I just-"

"Merlin!" The brunette jumped as a familiar voice screamed from outside the door. Arthur burst in, looking irritated. "I heard you got out of the dungeon."

"Yes." The boy said slowly, sensing frustration from the prince.

"Then what are you lollygagging around here for? The knights are getting ready for sword practice and I need my servant."

Merlin sighed. Any enthusiasm he'd had for seeing the prince evaporated instantly.

"Yes, sire." He said, following Arthur outside.

As they walked Merlin noticed that Arthur was being awfully quiet. Usually he'd be ranting about how Merlin was stupid or how he should stay obediently by the sidelines as Arthur showed him how a real man handles a sword. He suddenly realized how much that sounded like an innuendo. This realization was soon accompanied by images of Crème Chantilly.

Merlin felt a blush come to his face and coughed awkwardly.

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" The brunette jumped in surprise. Arthur had swung around violently, starring at him with a very intent look. Merlin's blush deepened.

"I'm fine, sire." He furrowed his brows. He couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong with Arthur.

"Yes, of course. Don't be such an idiot." Arthur snapped, turning around and stomping to their destination. Merlin felt a jolt go through his stomach.

When he'd turned around Arthur had grabbed the brunette's hand and was now tugging him along. They were holding hands. Merlin stared down at their entwined fingers, and was overcome with the oddest sensation. His heart pounded just the slightest bit faster and his breath came just a little quicker. Granted, that could have been because Arthur was walking at a very fast pace.

"Arthur, slow down." Merlin begged, panting a little.

Arthur stopped, frozen in place. Seconds ticked by, feeling more like days, as Merlin stared at the stone like figure before him, a feeling of dread settling coldly in his torso. Finally, the prince turned, ever so slowly, and, when they were finally face to face, Merlin's breathe hitched. Arthur was blushing and staring down at him in a way that made his heart skip a beat and his stomach flip. He was vaguely aware of the hand around his tightening.

"What did you say?" Arthur growled.

Merlin's eyes widened. A cloud of doom hovered over the prince's head and Merlin knew from experience that his answer could be the difference between lightning and thunder. And he would much prefer thunder.

"I asked you if you could slow down, please." The brunette said slowly, trying to gauge Arthur's reaction.

The prince stared at him contemplatively for a few seconds.

"Fine." He snapped, walking at a slightly slower pace.

The rest of the walk was tense. Merlin was hyper aware of their hands, of Arthur's warmth, and of the obvious anger emanating from the prince. And, as he realized that the path they were taking led them not outside but to Arthur's bed chamber, he was hyper aware of Arthur's bed.

"Um…sire." He mumbled, trying to garner the blonde's attention. "Sire." He said it a little louder. "I thought we were going to sword practice."

"Merlin, shut up. I know what I'm doing." Arthur choked out.

Merlin, feeling it was the best option, stopped moving. Oh how wrong he was.

"Arthur! Arthur, put me down!" The brunette squirmed in the prince's arms.

"Is that an order, _sire._" Arthur said, pointedly. Merlin blushed. "You're _my _servant and I'll do whatever _I _want to do with you." The brunette shivered.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, confused. He felt a slight wave of panic hit him as they entered Arthur's chambers. Suddenly, he was placed on the floor, Arthur holding him securely in his arms as he leaned in, their lips almost touching.

"What I'm talking about," Arthur pressed Merlin into the wall almost violently. "is Aldwin."

Merlin froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "W-w-what?" He stuttered.

"You didn't think I'd find out did you?" Arthur was staring at him evilly. "About your little liaisons with the Prince of Cornwall?"

"How?" Merlin felt shame and embarrassment swirl inside of him.

"I saw you. In the dungeons." Arthur snarled. He glared down ferociously at Merlin, but there was something else in his gaze that fascinated the boy. He was afraid but he was also…aroused? Merlin trembled slightly; realizing that somehow he'd began to get an erection. "Never, ever do that with someone else. You are _my _servant. _I _own you. You are _mine._" A small whimper escaped Merlin, sending a satisfied smirk to Arthur's lips. "Good. Glad we understand each other." Arthur said, leaning in so close Merlin could feel his breath. "Now clean my bedroom then meet me on the field. A guard will be waiting to escort you." Arthur ordered, leaving the chamber quickly.

Merlin felt a swell of emotions fill him; A weird combination of relief, exasperation, confusion, lust, and frustration. But mostly frustration.

"Bastard." He growled, moving to clean up the horrendous mess the prince had made of his room. He scoffed in disgust as he began to tidy the sty.

"For a prince he sure is a pig." Merlin snapped up, seeing Aldwin standing in the doorway. "Hi, I'll be your escort for today." The prince said mischievously.

"Did Arthur see you?" Merlin asked in panic.

"Ah, so precious little Artie _is_ jealous." Aldwin flashed a megawatt grin at the thought, approaching Merlin.

"No, don't come near me!" The brunette leapt to the other side of the bed, eyes wide as he looked at the other boy. "You've caused enough problems for me as it is."

As impossible as it seemed, Aldwin's smile widened.

"Interesting. So it's not 'Don't come near me, you disgusting pervert,' or 'don't come near me, I hate it when you touch me.' No, it's 'Don't come near me, or I'll be in trouble.' Which means that the only reason Merlin doesn't want me to touch him, Arthur," Aldwin said this pointedly, turning to the doorway. Arthur entered, looking livid. "Is because little Merle here is afraid of a time out."

As Aldwin smirked at a glaring Arthur, Merlin felt a swell of fury.

"You were testing me?" He yelled accusingly at the prince.

"You left me little choice, Merlin." Arthur growled, gaze never leaving the other prince.

"Really, Arthur? That's pretty pathetic. Setting your servant up like that." Though his words were harsh Aldwin's tone was one of delight.

"He's my servant, I'll do what I like." Arthur bit out.

"Maybe he won't be your servant for long?" Aldwin suggested slyly.

Both Merlin and Arthur froze, looking at him in surprise.

"How about a little wager?" Aldwin said happily. "A knight's duel. Whoever wins gets Merlin."

"Wait just a-" Merlin burst out furiously.

"Deal." Arthur said defiantly. "Tomorrow. Noon."

"Agreed." Aldwin announced happily and they both shook on it, finalizing the deal.

"Stop!" Merlin yelled. Overwhelmed with fury he threw a water jug across the room, feeling slight joy as it hit the wall with an overwhelming smash and both boys jumped. "I may be just a simple servant but I refuse to be treated like a rag doll. I will not be some prize in your stupid contest."

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice Merlin." Arthur said.

Merlin stared in shock at the two princes before him. They stared at him coldly, at least that's how it felt. He couldn't believe how dispensable he seemed.

"I hope you both kill each other." He snarled. "And rest assured, if one of you does win, I will go out of my way to make your lives a living hell." He stormed out of the room.

Wandering alone through the hallways he realized he could be thrown in the dungeons at any moment, but he was too mad to care.

**La La La La La La Line break:**

Arthur's stomach coiled in circles of guilt. He couldn't believe he'd behaved so boorishly. For some reason when ever Merlin was around he felt like a complete arse. And he usually behaved like one, too.

"Arthur, up ahead!" The prince snapped out of his reverie, gripping his horse's reigns and riding forward.

The knight's had all gathered for a hunt. It was going quite well, they were following a nice looking buck, but it was also pretty boring. Arthur had been too ashamed with himself to retrieve Merlin and he'd never realized how nice it was having the boy around. But he couldn't call off the bet. It was the only way to get rid of Aldwin. Although, even if he lost the duel, he would never allow Aldwin to take Merlin. But nobody else needed to know that.

"To the right!" The knights swerved, coming into a small clearing.

Arthur glanced up, seeing the sky darkening. "We should head back." He announced. The other knights groaned in disappointment.

"We can't go back empty handed. What will the ladies think?" Iago, a particularly lascivious knight, spoke up from the crowd.

"We could perhaps chance another hour." Arthur suggested. The other knights all cheered in agreement.

Had he been more in tune with his senses Arthur would have thought better of his plan. They'd been tracking the buck for nearly three hours and were now nestled deep inside the woods, it would be dark soon and, though the light of the moon was strong, they would never be able to see well enough to prevent the accident.

However, due to his failure to return promptly, the never saw the Minotaur coming.

A/N: Oh my gosh! Stuff! And it's happening! Anyway, so I don't know why this chapter isn't as, you know, fun as the others. But the plots moving forward and things will happen and you'll love it. Also, I was totally way too lazy to edit so I'm terribly sorry. But I put a Minotaur in the story so that should more than make up for it. I mean, it's a Minotaur. The only way it could be more awesome is if it had Laser vision. And made balloon animals. Please leave a review!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I was going to make this chapter really long but I kind of wanted to stop it after the fight with the Minotaur. **

**Warning: It's kind of depressing and violent. I'm sorry, I hadn't planned it that way but that's what happened. The next chapter'll be happier though. We'll get right back into the naughty and I'm updating it tomorrow, so don't fret. On the plus side, epic Minotaur battle. And Arthur's such a bad ass. The down side? This story has way more plot than I'd originally planned. Damn you guys.**

_**Chapter 6: 'Back in my day…*sobbing* I'm sorry, I just can't do it for this chapter.'**_

There was an odd stillness in the night; a suffocating tension that surrounded them, collapsing in and sucking the breath from Arthur's lungs. The air pulsated around them with…_something. _He couldn't figure out what but, trustful of his instincts, he didn't like it.

Their horses trotted along slowly, partially to keep from making too much noise and partially because they didn't know where they were. No one would admit it but a wave of unease flashed through the troupe. They should have returned to Camelot hours ago.

Arthur had failed them. He knew it. He'd been so distracted by his own thoughts that he hadn't paid attention to the wellbeing of his knights. Why had he allowed his mind to wander like that?

Arthur mentally kicked himself at his own stupidity. It shouldn't matter what he was feeling towards Merlin, a leader needed to leave his personal problems in the bedroom. Actually….

No! Arthur needed to get everyone back to the castle safely and only then would he be able to think about Merlin's penis.

Focusing ahead he saw a slight path. Several tree branches were broken, a sign that someone had been through here. He got down from his horse and inspected the ground.

"Horse prints. It's this way." He called out. His men came forward and dismounted as well. "There's a slight trail." He said. "Best go by foot." His men nodded with him.

Holding their horse's reigns they started to walk, stopping every once in while to examine the trail.

Suddenly, a horrible cry filtered through the trees. It ricocheted around the forest, deafening the men. Everyone clutched their ears, turning in panic to find the source of the noise.

"What is that?" Charles yelled, looking at Arthur desperately.

"I think it came from that direction!" Handing his reigns to a knight, Arthur headed towards a set of trees. The sound came again, this time louder then the last. Arthur felt like something had burst; twisting through his body and making him collapse to the ground.

"Arthur!" A knight had run over, trying to help him.

"Lead everyone back to the castle. I'll fight it off!" Arthur yelled, pushing the knight away and stumbling upwards.

"But, sire-"

"Just do it!" Arthur barked. The world was spinning around him and he was having trouble making anything out.

He heard the sounds of horses as the knights raced off. He was alone. Except…A massed figure came barreling at him from out of no where.

Arthur flew to the left, barely avoiding a full blown collision. His side had been hit pretty badly though and he hissed, pain slamming through him. Growling he stumbled back to his foe, pulling his sword form its sheath.

The creature roared again, noise so loud it shook Arthur's body. He grit his teeth as the sound ripped through him, pulling on his muscles and pressing on his chest.

He let out scream and dashed forward. He feigned to the right, the creature barreling towards him, then moved left. The blade only scraped the creature but Arthur felt a wave of satisfaction. At least he knows the creature can bleed.

Arthur curved and found himself behind the beast. Gripping his sword tightly he lunged forward. However, long before his weapon can connect Arthur feels something tear across his face, slamming him sideways and into the ground. The impact pushed the air right out of him and for a moment he feels like he is suffocating. Arthur wheezes and tried to get back his bearings.

He realizes in a panic, though, that he can't find his sword. He hears huffing behind him and turns slightly, freezing in place.

He hadn't been able to see the beast before but now, with the moonlight shining down on it and the thing barely an inch away, he can make it out clearly. It was almost like a man, standing on two legs with anthropomorphic features, but it was covered in fur, with the face of a bull, horns, and dark beady eyes staring down at him, completely unfeeling. Minotaur.

Arthur had heard of them before, in old legends or books. Even Gaius mentioned one once. But he hadn't thought them to be real. Yet, as he stared face to face with one, he couldn't deny its presence. It was a lot bigger than he'd imagined.

The beast cried out again, right next to his ear. Arthur felt a wave of nausea hit him and keeled over. He spotted his sword lying not far away and, fighting the urge to vomit, raced for it. He screamed out in pain as something connected with his calf. It felt like tiny daggers ripping through his leg and he fell to the ground.

Rolling he clenched his jaw, grabbing for his sword and standing up, swaying slightly. His eyes were blurry from the pain and he stabbed forward blindly.

His sword sliced at the creature, stabbing through the beast's thigh. The creature let out a scream and pulled away, swinging at Arthur as it went. The prince's body hurt more each time the Minotaur cried out. The beast lunged forward, claw scraping across Arthur's chest, ripping through his armour and cutting through his chest.

Adrenaline and fear rushing through him Arthur let out a battle cry, spinning his sword and thrusting it forward, stabbing into the creature's stomach. Staring into the animal he clenched his jaw in fury, running his sword even deeper. More sounds ripped through the creature and Arthur pulled back, yanking his sword out.

The beast started to move, ready to lunge once more as blood spilled from its wound. Arthur let out a guttural shout and ran forward, swinging his weapon through the air. A fist came at him once more and the prince swung right at the wrist, chopping the paw clean off. A wail filled the air and blood poured forth from the nub. Arthur slammed his sword forward once more, whooshing sound filling the air. The metal moved swiftly, lodging into the Minotaur's neck. Arthur wielded his weapon strongly and, with deep satisfaction, decapitated the creature.

Arthur panted, staring down at the mass on the ground. He stumbled forward, his whole body throbbing as he tried to walk. Arthur couldn't breath. He clutched his chest tightly, wheezing as he walked. He felt a wave of dizziness take him and moved his hand to his head, vaguely aware of his surroundings. He struggled to stay conscious.

"Merlin…" He whispered. Where was his servant? He always knew Merlin was useless. "Merlin, have you shined my shoes yet….time for practice…" He mumbled, breath coming in ragged gasps. "Where's my breakfast…."

Arthur fell to the ground, losing consciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7: 'Back in my day-Wait. How the hell did I end up with 7 chapters?...anyway, Back in my day…we didn't use the internet for porn. Heck, we didn't use the internet at all. Internet didn't even exist. If you wanted to watch porn you had to use magic. Still, it's faster than dial-up.'_

Merlin awoke instantly, jumping in surprise and falling out of bed. He landed on the floor with a _thump, _groaning as his bum collided with the concrete. He stood up, rubbing at it sorely as he looked around.

The warning bells had begun to ring loudly while he'd slept, awaking not only him but the whole castle. He glanced outside. The moon was hanging high in the sky and it couldn't be later than 3 in the morning.

Merlin, realizing that for once the panic wasn't because of him, shuffled out of the room in confusion. He saw Gaius throwing on a cloak.

"Come Merlin, we should go to the court room." Gaius said in panic.

While he hadn't lived here long he'd been here long enough to realize that if Gaius was in panic, then something bad must be going on.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Why are the warning bells going off?"

"Merlin, when you've lived here as long as I have," Gaius said, looking at him seriously. "You master the unfortunate ability to identify the tone of the bell ringer. Whoever is ringing this bell is not doing so out of caution, but out of distress." Gaius turned and headed for the door. Merlin followed him with furrowed eye brows.

Sometimes Gaius said things that, while they were important, didn't quite make sense until something bad had happened. He had a feeling that now would be one of those times. And he was right.

As they entered the court room Merlin felt like the breath had been sucked out of him. The atmosphere was thick with despair. A group of knights stood in the middle of the room, all looking deeply troubled. The king looked out at everyone gravely. There were a few moments of silence as he surveyed everyone in the room.

"I have just been informed," The king said, voice heavy and cracking a bit. "That the knights have returned, minus a member."

Everyone gasped. Merlin's eyes flew to the troupe and he tried to figure out who was missing. It seemed as though everyone was there. Except…but that was impossible.

'_Merlin…'_

Not now. Merlin could not deal with the dragon right now.

"It seems that my son," Uther's voice cracked again as he talked. "Prince Ar-" The kind let out a little cough. He seemed to be having trouble getting the name out.

Merlin stared forward, shaking his head.

Uther cleared his throat and continued. "The prince has failed to return with his knights." He stated.

"No, no, no, no." He started muttering the word under his breathe unconscientiously.

"He stayed behind in the forest, protecting his troupe during a crisis. He acted bravely, like a knight should, for which I am proud. Unfortunately, do to the danger and lack of visibility in the woods; we will not be able to send out a search party until morning. However, anyone who is able will be participating in the search and is encouraged to stay here for the rest of the night. The knights will be instructing you on the layout and forest conditions to help better your search." The king got up from his thrown, leaving the room quickly.

The knights moved to the front of the room and the crowd listened closely as they began to talk, telling everyone as many details as they could.

Merlin felt like a bucket of ice had been poured in his chest. His breathe came quickly and everything began to blur.

'_Merlin, I can help…' _The dragon's voice was kinder now, gently coaxing him.

Merlin stared forward in shock; feeling like the whole world had been pulled out from beneath him. Arthur was in danger and trapped alone in the woods. He felt a wave of frustration flash through him. Why were they standing around here then? If it was too dangerous for this whole crowd than how dangerous was it for one man? He wouldn't wait around, he refused to wait around.

'_Merlin, you can't go alone.' _The dragon said, warningly.

Merlin looked around cautiously, approaching the doorway slowly. Everyone was so absorbed in the knights' tale that they didn't even notice him. Quickly, he approached the doorway. Glancing back once more his heart pounded. Adrenaline rushed through him and he pulled the door open, quietly, and darted through it. Anticipation and desperation filled him as he walked away from the court room.

'_Merlin…please!' _The dragon pleaded in his mind.

The brunette faltered slightly. He'd never heard the creature sound this…desperate. He ran forward. Going down steps he took a quick detour, running quickly. Something about the dragon's tone had struck something in him. It didn't sound good.

He quickly approached the lair, grabbing a torch and ducking inside. Descending he came down, slowly entering the area the Dragon was in. He looked around. The whole place felt empty.

"Hello?" He called out.

He heard the flutter of chains. The dragon descended slowly and Merlin gasped. The creature had taken on a deadly shade of white, body becoming frail. Scales, once so grand and vibrant, were dry and flaky. His whole body looked like it was…disintegrating.

"What…?" Merlin couldn't even find the right words to say.

"It's magic Merlin." The dragon choked out and…coughed? Merlin couldn't believe the sickly creature standing before him. It was a sight unlike any he could have imagined.

"But how did this happen to you?" The brunette asked confusion and desperation in his voice.

"This magic is far darker than anything you've ever encountered. It's a spell designed to suck all the magic from any form of magical creature." The dragon let out a weary sigh, lying down on the ground. "I'm afraid that someone's been stealing my magic from me since the beginning of the meeting. I'll most likely be sucked dry within two days." The dragon let out a little yawn. "Fortunately, they don't seem to know about you yet. But they will soon." The dragon warned.

"What if I released you?" Merlin said. "Would you gain your powers back?"

"Quite possibly." The dragon said morosely. "But I am too weak, Merlin. Without my magic I would never make it out of the castle."

"What can I do?" Merlin asked, confusion and anxiousness filling him. He had to save the dragon. And Arthur!

"Find them." The dragon seemed ready to settle for a nap, body curling up comfortably.

"Don't sleep!" Merlin shouted, drawing the dragon's attention for a bit. "How did you summon me then?" He asked, suddenly struck by the idea. If he could still use magic while under the spell than maybe he could find the caster in time and still manage to defeat them.

"The spell takes nearly constant concentration and the entire person's energy. It seems whoever cast it was distracted enough to loosen the spell." The dragon said intently, suddenly seeming to catch a little of its energy back. "Whoever cast the spell on me has also cast a spell on the forest. A spell that will, in all likelihood, trap Arthur in the forest for all eternity. I'm afraid that whoever went after me is also after Arthur." The dragon said.

Merlin panicked. "I have to save him." He said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" The dragon shouted, coughs bursting forth from the strain. Merlin froze. "This is no ordinary magician. This person is very powerful." The dragon said, looking at him thoughtfully. "Do you remember the sword I cast for Arthur?" He asked.

Merlin thought for a bit.

"The one that was undefeatable?" He asked. The dragon nodded. "Yes, I remember."

"You must wield it Merlin."

"No, I couldn't." Merlin protested.

"If you have any hope of saving Arthur you must. This sorcerer will do anything within their power to prevent you from finding Arthur. But you must not, under any circumstances, use your magic. For if they find out you have magic you will not make it out alive."

The brunette felt fear grip him coldly. Without his magic he didn't stand a chance.

"But would the sword even work in the forest?" He asked.

"The forest is not spelled to steal magic. I'm afraid it's a far worse spell than that. It's a spell that will prevent anyone from finding Arthur. And it will prevent Arthur from finding himself. I'm afraid he's trapped in his own mind, facing his own demons." The dragon told him.

"Will he be alright?" Merlin asked.

"I'm afraid that all depends on Arthur. You see, any harm that should befall him mentally, will also befall him physically and vice versa. But the same works also for pleasure." The dragon sounded oddly delighted to say this. Merlin blushed.

"Then how do I wake him?" He asked.

"You must find a way to distract him from his visions. If he is having a vision of pain, give him pleasure, and if he is having a vision of pleasure, give him pain." Merlin stared at the dragon blankly for a few seconds. "Now go." The dragon ordered. "I must sleep and you must fulfill your destiny."

Merlin knew it would come back to destiny at some point.

He dashed out of the lair, hurrying through the castle. As he went he thought about the sword. He had no idea how he would get it out of the damn lake.

**La la la la la la Line break:**

A figure watched the sleeping prince in interest. The spell was working quite nicely as the boy laid there, unable to escape the grip of his own fantasies.

The sorcerer squinted their eyes, inspecting the wounds inflicted by the Minotaur. Unfortunately the Minotaur had been quite real and had gotten to Arthur long before the sorcerer had even found the boy. Still, the magician thought as the boy let out a pleasured moan, it seems as though things had worked out for the best.

**Meanwhile, in Arthur's Royal Chamber of Naughtiness…er…I mean…Mind:**

_Merlin was trapped beneath him, writhing and groaning. Arthur smirked. It was finally his turn to claim the boy. And he wasn't going to let him go. _

"_Please!" Merlin exclaimed, voice fueling the desire in Arthur's body. _

_Arthur removed his fingers, enjoying the way the boy protested. "Don't worry, Merlin." Arthur ran his mouth along the boy's ear, enjoying the taste of the boy's skin. "I'll give you what you want." He was teasing Merlin, he knew. But every gasp and shudder was so sinfully delicious he just had to draw as many as he could before claiming him. "All you have to do is ask." He felt on edge now. He needed Merlin to beg for him. He needed to erase as much of Aldwin as he could. _

"_H-how?" Arthur nearly moaned at the question. _

"_Simple. Just say," Arthur was really going to enjoy this next part. "Arthur. Please. Fuck. Me." He emphasized every word, enjoying the way Merlin trembled. As a small moan escaped the prone boy he felt his composure nearly crumble. _

"_Arthur please! Please…" Merlin paused, unsure. Then Arthur licked a trail up his neck, running his hands along the brunette's sides. "Please fuck me!" He exclaimed, voice full of need. _

"_Yes." Arthur hissed, a small moan falling from his lips at the phrase. He quickly undid his trousers. Bracing himself he grabbed hold of Merlin's hips, heart racing as he slowly entered._

Arthur, completely unconscious, arched upwards on the ground. His fingers pressed into the dirt and he was letting out little moans as heat engulfed his erection. He could feel Merlin beneath him, hear every sound, and feel every thrust as though it were real.

"_Arthur!" Merlin cried out. His hips moved in time with Arthur's thrusts, groaning in delight every time his prostate was hit. "Oh, yes. Arthur." _

_Merlin felt heavenly beneath him and Arthur was barely holding it together. Every squeeze of muscle had him trembling, every moan shooting fire to his groin, and every cry had him nearly cumming. _

"_Merlin." He groaned, thrusts increasing. _

Arthur bit his lip, hips rocking as pleasure overtook him. He clutched desperately at the ground, body reeling from pleasure.

_Arthur reached around, grabbing onto Merlin's neglected member. _

"_Ah!" Merlin's body was trembling and he arched, almost frozen in pleasure. "Don't. I can't take it!" _

_Arthur stilled for a few seconds, letting the words sink in. Thrills went through his stomach and he gripped onto Merlin's shoulder, thrusting almost violently. With his other hand he stroked Merlin roughly, drawing cries from the other boy. _

"_Arthur." Merlin moaned beneath him, completely drowning in pleasure. _

_Arthur felt the brunette tense around him and cry out. He felt the cock in his hand pulsate as he climaxed. The blonde boy was soon following, ejaculating deep inside the boy beneath him. _

**_A/N: Okay guys, please review. _**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Okay, so apparently dreaminGemini has me figured out because I was writing this chapter and had already planned the scene of Merlin waist – deep in the pond, fishing around for the sword, when lo and behold I read her review. So, naturally, I had to steal the line "Here swordy, swordy." It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So all credit for that line goes to dreaminGemini who's basically the epitome of pure unadulterated awesomeness. Not that I'm playing favourites, you're all awesome. **

**Also, I'm dedicating this chapter to my friend who, for the sake of anonymity, I am going to call The Task Master. Anyway, in an ironic series of circumstances, she got food poisoning and it really sucks. So I'm hoping this cheers her up. **

_**Chapter 8: 'Back in my day…Sorry, I can't think of anything.'**_

Footsteps echoed across the stone hallway, ragged breath filling the space. Merlin's muscles began to feel hot and tense, each step ricocheting across is his body as he moved desperately.

Merlin was running harder than he'd ever run before. He needed to get to Arthur as soon as possible and definitely before the search party set out. If the crowd went traipsing around in the forest they could be in danger.

He panted as he moved, feet falling heavily to the ground. He turned into a hallway, cursing when he saw two guards walking along. He slowed his pace, trying to look casual.

"What are you doing walking around? Shouldn't you be in the court room?" A guard asked, looking irritated.

Merlin coughed, trying to clear his lungs enough to speak. He breathed heavily, looking at the two guards. He tried to form an excuse as quickly as possible.

"Yes. I was just going to fetch some…um…water for the knights." He offered up lamely.

The guards looked skeptical. Merlin tapped his foot anxiously, looking behind the two men longingly. Thoughts of Arthur filled his mind.

"The kitchens are the other way." A guard said, looking at him with furrowed brows.

"Yes, but I was getting water from the well." He said, hoping they would leave him alone soon. The prince was in danger and they were wasting their time talking to him.

"From the well?" A guard sneered.

Merlin cursed himself. The well water was for the commoners, of course. The royal water was kept in the kitchens. Merlin never understood that, especially since the kitchen staff got the water from the well in the first place. Perhaps they did something special to it once it was in the kitchens. Considering how much the King hated magic though, he wasn't sure what they could do. Maybe they had a priest baptize it?

Merlin stood awkwardly, trying to think up a reasonable excuse.

"Um…" He muttered feeling frustrated. He was already sick of dealing with the guards.

'_Ah, screw it.' _Merlin thought. He didn't have time for this. "Who's that in the corner?" He exclaimed, pointing behind them. They turned around and Merlin took off, running down the hallway as quickly as he could. Shouts of protest followed and he ducked into an alcove. The two guards ran by, looking frazzled and confused.

Merlin waited till they were out of view before taking off again. He could feel his heart pounding rapidly and, as he ran, almost everything but the image of Arthur had faded into the background. He was operating on pure adrenaline by the time he'd reached the lake.

Except, when he got there, he froze, realizing suddenly that he had absolutely no idea what to do. He couldn't use magic, he knew that much, however, his other skills were quite lacking. He hated to admit it but without magic he wasn't very useful.

Merlin sighed, knowing his options had been shrunk to one very obvious, and inconvenient, choice. Taking a deep breath, Merlin stepped into the lake, hissing as the cold liquid swirled around his feet. "Dammit, Arthur. The things I do for you…" He muttered, slowly walking forward. As the freezing water surrounded him he decided that, when all this was over, he would never leave Arthur's side ever again. Because every time he left Arthur alone for more than three seconds somebody tried to kill him. Actually, following him around was way too much trouble. Maybe he could just keep him on a leash or something.

The image of Arthur in a leash danced tantalizingly around his brain, making him blush.

He decided that, for the sake of his own sanity and simply because it was convenient, he would blame Aldwin for that thought and move on.

Merlin waded through the water, trying to catch sight of any form of glitter that he could but it wasn't easy. It was still dark out, 4 am if he had to take a guess, and that just added to the difficulty. Not to mention the fear. Being in the dark was bad enough, but swimming in the dark was quite possibly the most frightening thing he'd ever done.

"Here swordy, swordy." He called, hoping it would make his search easier. It didn't.

The brunette dived into the water, swimming slowly under the surface, glancing for the sword. The water was incredibly murky making it difficult for him to see. He thought he saw something glistening nearby but when he swam closer, only spotted some rocks.

Feeling the need for air fill him he swam to the top, bursting out and taking a few breaths before diving back in. This continued for some time and exhaustion began to fill him. He glanced at the sky, seeing the moon hanging low. It would be light soon. He looked around, realizing with dread that he was out in the middle of the lake, completely surrounded by water.

He tried to push back his distress and instead focus on his task. Ducking once again under the surface he swam forward. The need for air once again filled him and he pushed upward. He went to the surface, trying to rise above for air, but couldn't. There was something blocking his way. As he pushed against the top of the water it felt hard, he couldn't get past it. His chest burned and he glanced around in panic.

He couldn't breath. Pain filled him and he looked around in desperation. He couldn't breath. He slapped against the water once again, confused and abandoned. The sorcerer must have cursed the water, because he was once again met with solidity. He couldn't breath. He glanced around again, instincts taking over. He swam forward, blackness pricking at his consciousness. Swimming forward his body steered right. He ducked between a set of rocks, getting caught in between. He struggled. He was on the verge of passing out, body feeling weak. He was trembling slightly. Convulsions would soon take affect and, if that happened, he would be effectively dead. He managed to rip free, clothes tearing slightly. He swam forward, hands pulling something decidedly metallic from between some weeds. He floated upwards, towards the surface once again. He pulled the object backwards and then, with momentum, thrust towards the surface. The sound of glass shattering filled the air as the sword penetrated the spell.

Merlin burst freed from the water, coughing roughly. He wheezed as he slowly filled his lungs. He moved through the water clumsily, getting to his feet when he got into the shallow end. He stumbled around on the wet rocks dizzily. When he arrived at the shore he collapsed onto the ground. He laid there for a while, eyes slipping shut as he breathed.

Then, everything went black.

**La La La La La Line Break:**

When Merlin awoke again the sun was hanging over the horizon, shining down on him. He laid there for a few moments, the day's events slowly congregating in his mind. He cursed and snapped upwards.

"Arthur." He muttered, looking around. The sword lay beside him innocently. He rushed forward and grabbed it. Holding it firmly he examined it.

The sword emitted a sort of golden aura, pulsating with magic as he held it in the sunlight. Standing up he looked around. He listened carefully for the sounds of the search party but heard nothing. He walked towards the trees, walking cautiously.

He couldn't risk being detected by the search party. The sorcerer already knew he was in the woods though, so he had to be extra cautious.

He walked around for some time. As the day went onward he felt like something was squeezing at his chest, pulling tighter and tighter the later it got.

It wasn't until late in the evening that he was finally confronted.

He was deep in the woods by this time, not a living creature in sight. The only sound he could hear was his own labored breathing and his heart thumping loudly in his head. Then, the snap of twigs. It was light at first, hardly a warning, but it put Merlin more on edge than he'd ever been. Just one snap of a twig and he jumped, turning alarmingly to the area it had come from.

He saw and heard nothing for several seconds. Slowly, he stepped forward. He'd managed to walk about a foot before the sound came again.

It was a small sound though it still made all his body hair stand up. As he froze, listening, he felt as though, in the course of one day, his whole being had been compressed into a state of panic.

He turned slightly, glancing all around him in confusion. He listened to the noise with a vague recognition. He'd heard it before, he knew he had, and it reminded him of pain and fear.

He stood still as a rising, scuttling noise filled the forest. Squinting, he looked around him, body going cold when he realized what was happening.

Serkets, a favourite of sorcerers, were gathering around him. The scorpion-like creatures raised their tails, ready to attack, and hissed.

Merlin stared at them in dread. He had never fought them before without his magic. He raised the sword defensively. There was a tense moment of silence as they stood still, waiting.

Suddenly, they all came forward at once, a sweeping motion of danger. He swung the sword around, managing to clip one of the animals along the side. It retreated with a hiss, the others backing up slightly as well. He clutched at his torso as he stared at the creatures. One of them had managed to cut him during the attack. He pulled his hand away, seeing a thin layer of blood covering his palm.

He growled, staring at the herd defiantly. They came forward again, leaping through the air and he ducked to the side, using his blade to cut across a Serket's chest. It fell to the ground, squealing, as its blood, tinged an odd brownish colour, flowed from its chest.

"Whoa." He said in shock, staring at his handiwork. He felt slightly proud of himself until he realized that there were still plenty of more left to kill him. "Shit." He muttered as they advanced.

Realizing that they no longer surrounded him he took his opening and ran. He heard them chasing after him. He'd only managed to get a few feet until one flew through the air, landing in front of him. He cried out in pain when it jumped forward, claw combing out to grip his arm.

_Swish_

The beast cried in pain and retreated. Merlin stared at it in disgust, grabbing the dismembered claw and throwing it to the ground.

He continued to fight them, all throughout the night. It became an endless blur as claws scraped across his body, fangs went through his arms, and, in a moment of grand distraction, a tail dripping in venom seared through his calf. He yelled out in pain and stabbed the beast, angrily driving his weapon through its body.

He shook as the venom sizzled along his flesh. He stared at the two remaining serkets, wielding his metallic weapon. In a moment of anger and frustration he slaughtered them, quickly and efficiently. Stabbing one he turned to the other, which had lunged at him, and plunged the blade deep into its chest.

As he stood above the bodies, he looked around; realizing that the sun had began to rise. The sky shown with the light of early morning and he spotted the trail of bodies lying behind him.

He wiped a hand across his mouth and let out sigh. Slowly, quietly, he proceeded forward.

As he wandered through the forest time passed slowly. Morning blurred into evening and he felt on the verge of collapse. And then, he found him.

He spotted Arthur in a clearing, lying unnervingly still.

**Arthur:**

Tears leaked out of Arthur's eyes and he writhed on the ground. His body was feeling raw, every sensation amplified to the point that every lick or suck sent so much pleasure through him that it was painful. And every stab or punch caused so much pain that were he not already unconscious, he'd have blacked out. But instead he was forced to undergo each vision, in rapid succession, with no escape. And each vision was longer and more detailed than the last.

Over time though, as the visions continued to pass, something felt wrong, forced. Each scenario began to feel empty.

Physically, he felt every sensation. But emotionally, he seemed to be clutching onto something. Deep inside of himself he was holding onto something. A lever of warmness and companionship that was missing throughout any vision of pleasure and helped to get him through any vision of pain.

**Line break: **

Merlin stared in shock at Arthur's body. Dried blood riddled his clothes and the ground. He was sweaty and flushed, body fluids staining his clothes. Merlin was glad that he'd been the one to find the prince and not the search party. He couldn't imagine the chaos that would ensue if anyone else found him this way.

"Arthur?" He called tentatively. He approached the boy slowly, hesitant to see him up close. "Arthur?" He asked again, slightly louder this time. He looked around; trying to make sure no one else was nearby.

Arthur's body jolted a little and he let out a moan, a whispered "No." following soon after. The brunette rushed forward.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, kneeling down before the prince and inspecting him. The boy's eyes were open and he thought for a moment that Arthur might be conscious, but, when he looked closer, he noticed the glazed over quality in them. Tears leaked from the prince's eyes and his whole body was shaking. He looked like he'd had a rough night. "Arthur, it's me. It's Merlin." He said, grabbing onto the boy below him. "Come on, wake up." He begged. Suddenly Arthur's back arched slightly and he let out another protest.

"No." He moaned desperately, voice tight.

"Arthur!" Merlin called again, gripping the prince and trying to snap him out of it.

"_If he is having a vision of pain, give him pleasure, and if he is having a vision of pleasure, give him pain."_

The dragon's words echoed in his brain and he gazed down at Arthur contemplatively. The boy was obviously in pain and as such he was supposed to administer pleasure. But what would give him pleasure? Merlin tried to ignore his blush as he thought.

By all indications the only things that gave the prince pleasure were fighting, showing off, and teasing Merlin. Well, fighting was certainly out of the question, and right now he hardly had the ability to show off. Or anything to show off about for that matter. And he couldn't very well tease him while he was unconscious could he? Merlin had no idea what to do. He thought about the last time that he had talked to Arthur, wondering if there was an answer hidden in the exchange. As he went over the conversation, one phrase in particular struck him.

"_Never, ever do that with someone else. You are __**my**__ servant. __**I**__ own you. You are __**mine.**__"_

Merlin shivered and looked back at Arthur, gulping in nervousness. There was a possible solution stirring, growing in the back of his mind. He could feel it bubble to the surface, half formed images feeding his emotions as he gazed at Arthur. There was something shifting in the clearing, something that wracked his body and slammed his heart against his chest. He couldn't quite explain why but he felt that his decision, the course of action that he took here and now, could dramatically change his and Arthur's relationship forever.

Merlin licked his lips, staring into the prince's face, desperately searching for an answer. He felt a pang go through his stomach as he gazed down, realizing almost instantly that he would do anything for the boy.

He'd known it in a repressed fashion, somewhere deep inside his self. Whenever he would go to great lengths to protect the boy, whenever he put his life in danger for the sake of Arthur, somewhere deep inside his subconscious the knowledge would flicker mischievously, taunting him. Sometime, long ago, this knowledge had leaked into his mind, polluting everything but the surface. Every action he had taken until this point, he realized with revulsion, had been tainted with this thought. Yet he wasn't sure if he could acknowledge it.

He knew that, were he to confront this thought full on, the consequences could be devastating. Arthur and Merlin's relationship was still fragile. The dynamic was in a constant teeter-totter and, with just the slightest push; the balance could forever be upset. Merlin wasn't sure if he was willing to risk it.

However, when he looked down at the other boy and saw the state he was in, he knew he would do anything. And, as he gazed at Arthur's face, desperate and pleading, he knew he could face anything. Even the complex longing that had taken him captive.

"Right." He muttered. While conviction filled him, he felt steadily more awkward as he tried to work out how to go about this. Instead of leaping right into physical contact he decided to start off with talking. "Um…Arthur…er…" The words failed to come and he let out an awkward cough, blushing. Maybe if he started with an action…"Arthur, I want you to…show me who's boss." This may have not been the smartest choice.

Arthur's only response was a tortured moan and shiver.

Merlin groaned and collapsed onto Arthur, hugging him close. Guilt and shame filled him as he slowly ran a hand down the prince's torso. He buried his head into Arthur's shoulder, closing his eyes as he slipped a hand up the boy's shirt. A part of him felt that this was the right thing to do but the rest of him doubted his intentions. Was this for Arthur or…

Merlin nestled deeper into the body beneath him, heart pounding faster as the thought filled him.

Or was this for him?

He let out a shuddery breath, cold erupting throughout his body. However, he didn't still his actions, his hand running up and down warm skin. He noted with some concern that Arthur felt feverish.

As his hand ran along Arthur's chest he felt an area of skin that felt…wrong. When he lifted up the prince's shirt he realized why. Running all along the boy's chest was a deep gash, dried blood caking along the edges. Merlin felt sick.

He couldn't do this. Not when Arthur was in this condition.

"Please…" Arthur sobbed.

Merlin looked at him in surprise. The prince was still lost in his vision but it felt like he was asking Merlin to take him out of it, whether intentionally or not.

The brunette bit his lip, furrowing his brows. He nodded to himself, knowing he had to go through with this. But, he just couldn't look at the prince while he did. He pulled close to the boy once again, burying his face into the prince. Unsure how to proceed, he drew on the only experience he'd ever had.

Slowly, hesitantly, he placed his hand once again on Arthur's chest, avoiding the wound. He placed his thumb delicately onto the prince's nipple, rubbing as lightly and gently as he could. Beneath him, Arthur let out a little gasp. Merlin pressed his face further into Arthur's shoulder. A curious part of him desired to watch the prince's expression, to see his face as he was pleasured. But the rest of him felt guilty and conflicted. He just couldn't watch the boy, not in these circumstances. However, with the blonde boy's mouth right next to his ear, every sound permeated his senses, sending shameful little thrills up his stomach. He rubbed his hand a little harder along the nub, feeling the prince tremble underneath him.

"Muh..?" Arthur let out a confused little moan.

Merlin pressed into Arthur's neck. He moved his arm, hand trailing slowly downwards. He ran his hand slowly along the blonde's abdomen. His fingers bumped along the top of his trousers, skin pressing against the rough fabric. He fiddled slightly, pushing past the rim and into the clothing. His breath hitched as he went inside, anticipatory gasp escaping him. He shook slightly, reaching in even further. As he wrapped his fingers around Arthur's penis. He gave it a slow stroke, feeling it begin to harden beneath him.

"No…" Arthur sobbed beneath him, sounding more in pain.

Merlin, thinking his vision was getting worse, tried to combat the pain with pleasure. He sped up his fondling, remembering in embarrassment how Aldwin had touched him. Experimentally he ran a finger along the tip of Arthur's erection, earning a small moan.

"Nn…Merlin." The prince gasped.

The brunette froze, snapping up in surprise. He expected to be met with an angry, confused, and very awake prince but, instead, came face to face with a still unconscious, and very blushing, prince. He still looked flushed and sweaty but in a different way.

Merlin panted slightly, watching the prince as he groped him. The boy below gasped, eyes slipping shut. He let out tiny little whines, sounds that both fascinated and aroused the servant. He tried harder now, putting as much effort as he could in providing pleasure for Arthur. He moved his hand, curiously touching as he gauged the prince's reaction. He ran a finger along the bottom, noticing with interest when Arthur let out a particularly loud moan. He pressed down on that area harder and ran his finger up and down.

"Merlin…" Arthur moaned, hips thrusting forward.

Merlin held Arthur again, needing to feel his closeness. The situation terrified him, aggravating his conflicting emotions. He wasn't sure what any of this meant, but he was afraid of the implications. No matter why Arthur was moaning his name, the fact that he was doing so in this situation created warmth in his chest that confused him. He couldn't grasp the situation, he couldn't make sense of it, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

Up until this point the facts had been simple enough:

Arthur was destined for greatness.

Merlin was destined to help him.

To help him, Merlin had to stay loyally by his side.

Merlin had to do anything within his power to fulfill this duty.

But, what of this situation now? What if helping him came between staying by his side?

On the one hand, if he didn't do this there was a strong chance that Arthur wouldn't break free of the spell. On the other hand, if he did do this, there was a strong chance that there relationship would be threatened.

Merlin closed his eyes, burying his head for a third time into Arthur's neck. This time, he let his body take over.

He ran his lips along the flesh there, licking his way around an artery. He sucked lightly, following that up with a nip.

Arthur groaned again, body moving beneath him. His hips continued to thrust forward, into Merlin's hand. Merlin moved his hand faster, ignoring all train of thought to instead focus on the boy beneath him.

The trembling, the moaning, the thrusting, it all enticed him. He let out a little moan, moving his mouth down to Arthur's collarbone. He licked and sucked, leaving a small bruise along the skin there. He moved his hand even faster, running fingers along the bottom of the member as he went down and the tip as he came back up. He did this again and again, each time listening with interest at the sounds the prince made. His moans got steadily higher and louder, letting Merlin know that he was nearing orgasm. Merlin felt himself becoming, against all his shame and confusion, steadily erect.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." He muttered, a small tear dripping down his cheek.

Arthur tensed beneath him, a cry spilling from his lips. A warm liquid spilled out of him, staining his clothes and Merlin's hand.

In his anger, Merlin vowed that he would find whoever had done this and kill them.

He glanced down at the prince, waiting to see what would happen. The boy laid there for a while, completely still.

"Arthur?" He called in concern. "Arthur, are you okay?" He asked.

The boy didn't move at all. But it seemed that he wasn't having any visions either. Merlin wiped his hand on a spare leaf and bent forward, picking the prince up in his arms. Though exhausted he managed to lift the boy, carrying him forward. His arms burned as he struggled to hold the boy, but he ignored it. All the way back to the castle he carried the boy, ignoring the strange looks from the townspeople as he went.

He held him carefully in his arms, bypassing guards and servants. And, he continued to hold him in Gaius' chambers, where the elderly man stood, staring at him in concern and alarm.

**A/N: Okay, I'm not gonna lie, I got kind of lazy with the fight scene, and this chapter in general. I'd been writing this chapter for a week and got kind of bored. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I needed to post it. So, if there is something really obviously wrong and distracting in here, let me know, otherwise please review! Seriously, reviews keep me going. I'm like a dementor and your reviews are like your souls. So give me your souls!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, so since this isn't a Hurt/Comfort fic (I despise h/c fics…well, most of the time. I mean they're not bad and on occasion I don't mind reading them but there is so way in hell I'd ever want to write one…hmmmm, what's an adequate simile. Ah, Its like broccoli. I don't like broccoli, but on occasion I'll eat it because it has a lot of vitamins however, were I god, I would have either never created broccoli or I would have made it taste like ice cream. So, there, Hurt/Comfort fics are like broccoli…without the vitamins. ) Right, so since this isn't H/C I'm not going to make their battle wounds all sad and dramatic and No, Merlin is not going to turn into House simply because his leg was wounded. Although if House were a wizard that would bring a whole new level of awesome to the show. Also, he should have laser vision. **

**P.S. Copyright. **

**So anyway, now that all the drama involved in plot development is out of the way this story will take on a lighter note. Especially since Merlin and Arthur's feelings for each other are emerging. So, should be fun. **

**Also, the title of this chapter was taken from Malexmale Goddess 101. It definitely made me giggle. **

**Chapter 9: Back in my day…Rock was something you threw, not listened to.**

Arthur was positioned peacefully on Merlin's bed. Gaius turned to him after they set the prince down, face set in worried curiosity. He opened his mouth and began to ask questions, but the words came in the form of muddled gibberish.

Merlin blinked in confusion, unable to understand what Gaius was saying. He tried to ask what the man was saying but the words wouldn't come out right. His tongue hung heavily in his mouth, refusing to cooperate.

A wave of dizziness overtook him and he clutched at his head, stumbling backwards and into a table. Something fell to the floor but he paid it no mind, instead bending over and clutching at his stomach. A wave of nausea had hit him and he looked around.

Gaius had rushed forward and was gripping his arms, staring at him intently. Merlin stared at him in confusion. Everything had begun to change colours, winding and blurring into shades.

Paranoia gripped him and he stumbled around the room, trying to find something, anything that made sense.

Merlin, convulsing, fell to the ground and passed out.

**Gaius:**

The man stared down at the two boys before him. They were both in pretty bad shape, covered in wounds and bruises. Though, now that they'd been cleaned up, they looked far better than when they had come in.

Gaius wasn't worried though. He'd done an inspection on Arthur and knew the boy would pull through quite well, though he would take a while to recover. Merlin, however, was in much worse condition.

Arthur had been hardened by years of battle, a skilled fighter. But Merlin was far from that. He was not trained for fighting or injury. He was, for lack of a better word, fragile. Though Gaius, for the sake of self preservation, would never tell him that. Because an angry Merlin was not a fragile Merlin.

A small knock came from the door.

Gaius walked out of the bedroom and into the main area.

"Gaius?" A gentle voice asked, a delicate face appearing from behind the door.

"Gwen." Gaius said cheerfully.

Much as Merlin felt like his son, Gwen felt like his niece.

"I heard…Merlin?" She muttered in her usual awkward manner. Gwen had never been very good with words, though when she did talk it was always genuine. He supposed that was part of her charm.

"Ah. Follow me." He led her into the bedroom.

Gwen gasped when she saw the two boys. Then blushed and looked at him curiously.

"Why are they on the same bed?"

The bed wasn't very big and both boys were squished onto the mattress, practically on top of each other in their unconscious state.

Gaius sighed. "I'm an old man, Gwen. Lifting isn't one of my strong suits." He said, by way of explanation. While this was entirely true, the fact that Arthur had practically begged for Merlin in his sleep was also a contributing factor.

"Of course." Gwen replied, feeling somewhat foolish. "Are they okay?" She asked, walking closer to the two bodies.

"They'll both be fine." Gaius said. "They just need to time to rest."

"What happened?" Gwen asked, staring down at boys in fondness and concern.

"It appears that they were both in some sort of fight. I'm not sure about Arthur, but Merlin seems to have been battling a Serket. Giant scorpions." He explained at Gwen's questioning look. "He was dosed with some venom but I've already administered the anti dote." Gaius picked up a washcloth, dabbing at Merlin's feverish forehead. "Now, we just have to wait."

There was a chair sitting by the bed and Gwen sat down in it, staring at both boys intently.

"Does Uther know yet?" She asked.

"He'll know soon enough." Gaius answered, preparing to check on Merlin's wounds.

Gwen watched him for a while before looking down at each boys face.

"Is that…" She paused slightly, rising from here seat and staring down at Arthur.

Gaius followed her line of vision and froze, a deep blush settling on his face.

"Is that a hickey?" She finally asked, pointing at Arthur's neck.

Gaius coughed awkwardly. "I'm sure it's just a bruise." He said.

"No…" She mumbled, brows furrowed. "No, Gaius, that's a hickey. How did Arthur get a hickey?"

"Gwen, what the prince does in his spare time is none of our business." Gaius said, sternly. He really didn't want to know how Arthur got a hickey or what role Merlin played in that. He couldn't deal with that on his conscience. "If anyone asks, it's a battle wound. Do you understand?" He looked at her pointedly.

After a few moments of silence she nodded incredulously, gaping at him.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go see Uther." He left the room hurriedly, leaving behind a spluttering Gwen.

**Gwen:**

She had heard from the town's people that Merlin had arrived back in Camelot, carrying the prince's body with him. She'd rushed over to Gaius' but as she stood above the two boys she began to regret having done so.

It's not that she didn't care for the boys, for she certainly did. But there was a weird tinge of irritation at the situation. Once again she'd been subject to information far above her comfort level.

Merlin and Aldwin, Merlin and Arthur, it was all very confusing, not to mention shameful. Though Gwen hated to judge. She just couldn't believe Merlin would _do _that; especially with two princes. If anyone found out, Merlin's life could easily be in more jeopardy than usual.

She chewed her lip thoughtfully, sitting in the chair once again and staring at her friend. Gripping his hand into hers she allowed her mind to wander. The whole situation in general seemed very odd to her. Not just the odd…relationships that had come to light but everything. Arthur going missing, the fight, the…serkets?

"Serkets." Gwen said to herself, thinking. She knew she'd heard of them before, somewhere. The answer hovered in the back of her mind and she stood up. Glancing once more at Merlin, she left the room, mind whirring.

**Gaius:**

The court physician knocked at Uther's office door softly. In situations like this he found that it was always best to remain calm and gentle with the emotional ruler. After all, Uther was high strung at the best of times, but during a particularly stressful period he was quick to act and slow to think and Gaius quite enjoyed having his head attached to his body.

"What?" The king barked from inside.

Gaius opened the door slowly, entering the room.

"Sire." He said, garnering the man's attention.

The king stared at him for a few seconds. "Well? Get on with it, I don't have all day." He growled, pacing the room back and forth.

"I just thought you'd like to know that Arthur has been found."

Uther turned towards him swiftly, giving him an unnerving amount of attention. "Where is he?"

"In Merlin's chambers." Gaius explained. The king took off immediately, practically running to Gaius' residence. The elderly man followed slowly behind, unable to keep up with the king's pace and quite frankly not feeling the need to. Uther would relax once he caught sight of Arthur.

When Gaius finally arrived into the room he saw Uther standing in the doorway, staring down at the bed.

"Your highness, what's the matter?" He asked, walking into the room.

"Why is Arthur in bed with his servant?" When Gaius came closer to the king he spotted an interesting shade of red staining his cheeks.

Gaius almost chuckled at the man but managed to restrain it. He let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm an old man, Sire." He couldn't count how many times this speech had come in handy. One of the benefits of getting old was being able to say 'I'm an old man. (Fill in Activity Here) isn't one of my strong suits.' "Lifting isn't-"

"That's your excuse for everything isn't it?" The king interrupted. It hadn't escaped him over the years how many times Gaius had used some variation of this statement. When he looked at the physician he noticed a small smirk hovering just beyond his innocent expression.

"Sire, I would never use an excuse." Gaius said, keeping his expression playfully serious.

"Yes, of course." Uther smiled, before going over to the bed and staring down at his son. "He will be alright, won't he?" He asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"Of course, sire. He just needs time to rest but he'll be back to normal soon enough." Gaius said comfortingly.

The king pulled up a chair, sitting down next to his son and looking down fondly.

"And the servant?" He suddenly asked, looking at Gaius.

"He sustained several injuries but he'll be fine." The old man could see Uther's brain working as he looked at Merlin.

"He disobeyed my orders, Gaius. He wandered off on his own." He muttered, looking somewhat torn.

The guards had reported Merlin's disappearance and Uther had sworn that, upon his return, he was to be thrown in the dungeon immediately. And, the king had always had trouble going back on his word.

"He saved Arthur's life, sire." Gaius responded. "And that's all that matters."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Uther said, staring down at his son. "Wait…is that?"

Gaius groaned as Uther stared at his son's neck. Not again.

**A/N: Yeah, short chapter today. But definitely more light hearted and 'Awwww' inducing. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Lol, Fussbudget came up with three very, very clever titles for me to choose from so you can think fussbudget for this chapter's title. Thank you so much, they make me laugh. **

**Chapter 10; 'Back in My Day…slash was that other character by the question mark on a type writer.'**

A single candle flickered in the darkness, illuminating the books text. Gwen stared down at it, squinting as she struggled to read the words. Her eyes flitted across the page, absorbing as much of the information as she could.

A slight shuffle sounded and she jumped, looking around. Servants weren't supposed to be in the library in general, but sneaking in at night could have her thrown in the dungeons.

Holding her breath she peaked behind a shelf and spotted no one. Sighing in relief she approached the book again. She knew she was close, she could almost taste the information she was looking for.

Books she'd already tried were scattered across the desk sloppily. Some had proved helpful by only the narrowest of margins, but most of them have been entirely useless.

However, this book looked quite promising. Although quite long. It not only listed a creature's characteristics, but its origins and etymology. She wasn't sure if she understood half of it but didn't much care. She was looking for specific information. She finally landed on the part she was interested in. Serkets.

Skipping over the history she turned the page. Her eyes widened at what she found. There, covering the page, was a picture of a Serket. Gwen's heart beat faster and her throat went dry. The creature looked absolutely terrifying. She felt a new wave of admiration for Merlin as well as confusion. How had he faced the beast? She grew even more shocked as she read the adjacent page.

"_**According to British myth the Serket is a large scorpion. Though, unlike scorpions, it possesses certain magical attributes.**_

_**The Serket's skin can not be destroyed by man-made weapons. Only magic can penetrate the shell. Though, despite its strength, it is not seen as being particularly bright. As such, when it appears in myth, it is usually seen being controlled by a sorcerer. This is seen primarily in the Legends of Saint Cambridge, when the Serkets were used by ancient sorcerers to take over Europe. **_

_**Though the Serket's form differs depending on the myth, they all have one thing in common: the venom. The venom of a Serket is administered through its tail and usually enters the body through a vein or wound. The substance spreads quickly throughout the body, causing paralysis, hallucinations, dizziness, and nausea. The process is quite painful and usually lasts until the victim starves to death or suffocates. **_

_**An antidote can be administered though the ingredients of it are unknown. The only ones who know of the cure are either sorcerers or apothecaries who have devoted their lives to the study of magic. However, this practice is very uncommon and usually only exists in Kingdoms where magic is especially prevalent."**_

Gwen's head spun and she stared at the book in shock. So many revelations were happening at once. Of course, she knew of magic, so that was no surprise. And, she supposed, mythical creatures were a given. But mythical creatures that were supposedly controlled by Sorcerers? Meaning there must be a sorcerer in the castle.

She glanced again at the last paragraph. Gaius knew of the antidote. Was he a sorcerer? Gwen worried her bottom lip and thought. He was always around when magic happened. And he knew an awful lot about it. A feeling of dread and suspicion filled her.

"Doing some late night reading?" A voice asked behind her and she jumped.

Turning, she saw Aldwin standing behind her, looking over her shoulder. She closed the book quickly, shaking nervously.

"No, I was just-" she started to say.

"Serkets. Fascinating topic." He said slowly, giving her a look that sent chills up her spine. "I must admit, I too have an interest in mythical creatures. I find their power to be rather intriguing." He smirked. "But I wonder, why would a servant want to learn about them? Not just that, but why want to learn about them, in the library, all alone, at night." Something about his tone sent shivers up Gwen's spine.

"I really have duties to attend to, so if you don't mind…" She said, gripping the book tightly and trying to walk past him.

"Not so fast." He said, blocking her path. "I have some _questions _for you."

**Flashbacks:**

**Sorcerer:**

The sorcerer furrowed their brows, staring down at the scene unfolding before them. What was the servant doing?

The venom should have taken effect by now, immobilizing the boy. But he seemed to be fighting. Where was his power coming from?

So many questions flitted through the sorcerers head that they had trouble focusing. Again turning their attention to the crystal ball they cursed. The boy was up to something, disrupting Arthur's visions. The sorcerer contemplated sending something after the boy, but couldn't during daylight. It already took too much power keeping up the spell on Arthur and the dragon. Plus, with the search party out, it was too much of a risk. They couldn't afford to be caught performing magic in the castle. Well, any more magic that is.

The sorcerer concentrated, struggling to maintain the balance between visions of pain and visions of pleasure. But that damn servant kept getting in the way. In a vision of pleasure he caused pain and in a vision of pain he caused pleasure. The spell was weakening…

**Arthur:**

_Arthur was trapped, buried and struggling for breath under a pile of rocks. The cave had collapsed around him. Suddenly, the feeling began to shift. The rocks were…warm? It felt almost like a body, holding him close, keeping him safe. _

_Then, something began to run along his chest, and again he was slammed into a vision of pleasure. He was trapped in a room now, Merlin standing before him and gazing at him longingly. A tongue ran up his torso and then…pain? As the tongue ran along his chest he felt a pain erupt there. He quickly looked down. He couldn't see anything but it felt like a wound had been agitated. He furrowed his brows in confusion. _

_However, the scene was soon morphing into complete pain. He was once again being pressed down on, trapped in an endless current of water. He couldn't breath._

"_Please…" He moaned, begging for it to stop. _

_Surprisingly, a warm body grabbed onto him. Once again, he felt like he was enveloped in a warm cocoon, not full of dizzying emotions but safety and companionship. Even as something once again began to rub along his nipple he felt like he was being comforted, kept safe by a warm body. It was something that, in all his visions, Merlin had so utterly lacked. Even though Merlin had been beneath him, around him, against him, and even went he felt warmth, passion, fire, he hadn't felt his friend. He hadn't, in any of his visions, felt the connection he usually felt with Merlin. But here it was. And, despite the disorienting pleasure that drove him crazy, he also felt…love? Yes, love. Or, at least, a very close approximation. It comforted him in ways that none of the other encounters had. _

"_Arthur." He'd heard Merlin call his name in so many different ways, but never before like this. _

_Through the haze he felt something wet against his neck. But it wasn't a tongue. He heard small whispers, though he couldn't make them out. A tiny, almost imperceptible voice called his name. _

"_I'm sorry, Arthur." And suddenly that voice talking, not moaning, not gasping, not begging, but talking to him in such a genuine way brought to mind emotions not limited to merely pleasure or pain, but joy, sorrow, longing, things so beyond those two base emotions that he felt a part of him break free. _

**Sorcerer:**

The magician looked on in anger as the spell was broken. This servant was quickly becoming a nuisance and, they realized in revulsion, there was no way they could defeat Arthur with Merlin by his side.

**End Flashbacks:**

**Line Break:**

Arthur felt warm, he realized as he awoke. Keeping his eyes closed he lay there for a while, enjoying the sensation of being nestled in something cozy, with a body pressed against his- Arthur's eyes snapped open. He looked downward, seeing Merlin lying on top of him. The boy looked peaceful, face content as he slept, eyelashes brushing along his cheeks.

"What the hell?" Arthur muttered, looking around. This definitely wasn't his room. "Merlin, get off of me." He snapped.

The boy didn't respond.

"Merlin?" He asked. "Lazy servant." He muttered, reaching over to push the body from off of him. Finally managing to get free from Merlin's weight, he slipped out of the bed looking around. He hissed as he walked, pain shooting up his leg. His head pounded and his chest hurt as well. He managed to walk a few steps before he gave up, turning back to the bed.

Lying down he was careful to keep his distance from Merlin, ignoring his temptation to push the other boy off the bed and claim it for himself. After all, he was a gentleman.

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter was ridiculously fun to right. I really did enjoy it. Yeah, it's short, but 2 chapters in one day makes up for that…I think. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: (naughty giggle)**

**Chapter 11: 'Back in My Day…(naughty giggle)'**

The sun showed brightly, streaming in through the room and shining on his face. Arthur blinked his eyes open, staring forward. He watched the dust flicker around in the light, dancing softly in front of his eyes. The events of the past several days filled his mind and he sighed wearily. He turned, looking behind him, to see Merlin cuddled up against his side, arm thrown casually around his waist. He felt his servant's hand resting against his skin and blushed.

Glancing down he realized he was shirtless, bandages wrapped across his chest. His eyes strayed from the bandages to the hand, hanging casually against his abdomen, and a certain memory flashed through his mind.

_Merlin's hand ran across his torso, flowing upwards to his nipple and rubbing gently. _

Arthur coughed awkwardly. His eyes followed up the hand, to an arm, and finally focused on a chest. A naked chest. Merlin lay behind him, shirtless as well. A bandage wrapped across his stomach and Arthur furrowed his brows in confusion. And embarrassment. He could feel head emanating off of Merlin's torso. He blushed.

A part of him wanted to burst out of the bed, leaving behind the feelings currently rushing through him, and another part of him wanted to settle down in the comfort and warmth of the mattress. However, all of him really wanted something to eat.

Arthur looked around hopefully, a small part of him thinking that food might magically appear if he tried hard enough. Naturally, nothing happened. Arthur groaned and sat up. Well, he tried to. The arm around his waist tightened and he let out an irritated grunt.

"Merlin." He growled, turning to look at the other boy. He was still unconscious, though a small frown graced his features. "Oi, let go of me." He grumbled, yanking the arm from its hold; Merlin just rolled over, nestling into his pillows and letting out a contented sigh. "Idiot." Arthur mumbled, leaving the security of the bed and exiting the room.

"Ah, sire, you're awake." Gaius said cheerfully, greeting him in the common room.

"Yes. Thank you for taking care of me." Arthur said clumsily. He was never very good at articulating his gratitude.

"It's no problem at all. Breakfast?" The elderly man asked kindly. He held up a bowl of something that looked whole heartedly unappetizing. "It's best not to eat too heavily after being injured." He said, noting the prince's repulsed look. Arthur nodded abashedly, sitting down at the table and picking up a spoon, examining the food cautiously. "Oatmeal." Gaius said, getting back to whatever he'd been working on.

"Of course." Arthur muttered, taking a hesitant bite. It didn't taste too horrible and he continued to eat, trying not to be rude. "Gaius." He suddenly said. The elderly man turned to him curiously. "What's wrong with Merlin?" Arthur realized that he hadn't really given the boy much thought. He'd been a little too…self absorbed.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd ask." Gaius said. Arthur felt a little abashed. "He seems to have battled a Serket. He was dosed with some Serket venom but he'll be alright."

"A Serket?" Arthur exclaimed. "How did the idiot come across a Serket?"

"It seems," There was something in Gaius' voice as he turned towards him that told Arthur he'd soon be regretting his question. "That he ran by one when he was in the woods, looking for you."

"Ah." The prince felt like a royal prat. "I suppose I owe him my thanks."

"Yes you do." Gaius agreed.

"Do you know when he'll get better?" He asked, concerned.

"Only time will tell." The man said voice weary. Arthur knew how Gaius looked onto Merlin as a son. It must be very hard for him.

"I'm sure he'll be up and causing trouble in no time." Arthur said, bringing a fond smile to the physician's face. "Do you, by any chance, know what happened to me?" He asked curiously, feeling somewhat troubled and confused by his recent experience. He hadn't put much thought towards it but when he did he felt overwhelmed and baffled.

"I really don't know. I'm afraid Merlin's the only one who can tell us for sure." Gaius said regretfully. "What do you remember?" He asked.

"Well, I remember battling a Minotaur. Past that it all gets confusing." Arthur answered, furrowing his brows.

"A Minotaur?" Gaius said, impressed and worried.

"Yeah, it just came out of no where." Arthur said, looking up at Gaius. The man was staring at him with a very similar look. "What do you know?" He asked suddenly.

"Whatever do you mean, sire?" The man asked innocently.

"I know that look. Merlin does the exact same thing when he knows something but doesn't want to tell me what it is." Arthur said suspiciously.

Gaius sighed. "I haven't seen a Minotaur since The Great Purge. If one is around, that could mean we also have a sorcerer on our hands." He confessed.

"A sorcerer." Arthur murmured. He felt a wave of disbelief hit him. "Is it just me or does this seem to happen every week?"

Gaius gave him a bewildered look.

"I think I'm going to go take a nap." Arthur grumbled, leaving an empty breakfast bowl on the table and, without thinking about it, going back into Merlin's room.

Gaius looked at the bowl in irritation before turning to watch the prince. An amused smile came to his face when Arthur, seemingly on impulse, went back into Merlin's chambers. He waited to see if the boy would come out, having thrown on a shirt, and demand to go back to his own room. Minutes passed by with no sign of the prince. Gaius chuckled, going back to his potion and shaking his head.

**Line Break:**

When Arthur woke up again it was dark out. He felt almost completely awake, and new he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for a while. However, he didn't want to wake up Gaius, after all the man had been quite kind and quite busy and certainly needed his rest. Merlin, on the other hand, had slept all day.

Arthur, feeling boredom take him, turned to the boy lying against him. While he'd slept Merlin had somehow ended up wrapped against him again. This time his head was resting on his shoulder, legs entwined with Arthur's. The prince's arm was wrapped around Merlin. And it was beginning to fall asleep. He yanked his arm free, cringing at the tingling in it.

"Merlin." He hissed to his servant. "Merlin, wake up." The boy couldn't still be sleeping. "Hey." He hissed, grabbing a pillow and whacking it across the brunette's face.

The brunette jumped and his face took on a pained look. He let out a little groan, turning over and settling once again into the bed.

"Merlin, wake up. I'm bored." This time he lost his patience, flipping Merlin roughly onto his back. He leaned down on top of him, peering at his face impatiently. "Oi, wake up you lazy bum." He snapped, wiggling Merlin's nose.

Merlin's brows furrowed and he let out a pained groan. Blue eyes opened slowly, peering at him in confusion. "Arthur?" His voice was hoarse from sleep.

"Finally." Arthur said in relief. "You've been asleep the whole day."

Merlin looked around, rubbing a hand across his face. He tried to sit up but Arthur was still pinning him down. "What are you doing in my bed?" He asked, looking at Arthur in confusion.

"I took a nap." Arthur said, having long since gotten over the awkwardness and not particularly caring what Merlin thought.

Merlin just looked at him befuddled. He once again tried to sit up but Arthur prevented him. "Arthur, get off of me." He muttered, looking irritated.

Arthur pretended to think about this for a few seconds. "Hmmm, no." He said, smirking. "I quite like it here, thanks."

"Arthur, get off." This time Merlin said it more firmly. Arthur's smirk only grew.

"Last I checked, you take orders from me." Arthur said, knowing this would only serve to irritate the boy more. He'd only begun doing this out of boredom but he was beginning to enjoy the way Merlin squirmed uncomfortably.

"Arthur, what's gotten into you?" Merlin asked, trying to push at Arthur's chest with his hands. Arthur shifted his hold, grabbing onto Merlin's wrists and pushing them into the mattress. He settled down on top of the boy, noticing a delicious flush coating his cheeks. "A-a-arthur?" Merlin stuttered out, looking absolutely adorable.

Arthur ignored the pain emanating from his wounds, instead focusing on the body beneath him.

"Ow." Merlin muttered.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, suddenly concerned.

"Just a little banged up, I guess." Merlin whispered.

"I heard about the Serket." Arthur said, a little annoyed.

"Serkets." Merlin corrected.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Serkets. Whole herd of them." Merlin said, biting his lip and blushing harder.

Arthur, who'd been momentarily distracted from his activities, again focused on the body beneath him, realizing it had become slightly warmer. Arthur, deciding to discuss the issue later, smirked once again, staring down at his servant. He was definitely enjoying a new side of the boy. Merlin gazed up at him, waiting, and the air seemed to still around them. Arthur's heart beat in anticipation and he lowered his head, slightly, coming closer to Merlin's lips. He stilled, enjoying the way Merlin's breath hitched.

His face softened and he stared down at the boy. "Well, I'm glad you're okay." He said, beginning to pull away. As much as he wanted this, and he certainly did want it, a part of him jumped in at the last moment, telling him it was a stupid idea, the same part of him that was just the slightest bit afraid to continue. He let go of Merlin's wrists.

Suddenly the brunette's hands wrapped around his neck and he was pulled back down, a pair of lips pressing against his own. His eyes widened and he let out a choked sound, trying to pull away. Merlin pressed against him more insistently and he stilled, shivering slightly. His heart thrummed in his chest and he struggled to contemplate the logic of moving forward. Merlin, on the other hand, had different ideas. The brunette's tongue ran enticingly along Arthur's lips, clearing up any doubts Arthur had. The prince opened his mouth and slipped his tongue between the boy's lips, tangling it with the other. As the kiss deepened he felt a heat fill him, dizzying and rapid. He pressed Merlin into the mattress, the kiss growing rough and passionate. Every emotion they'd felt till now was put into the kiss. The anger, the confusion, the lust, it surrounded them, powering them forward. Arthur was laying on him completely now, pressing their naked chests together, and pressing their hips together. He let out a little growl as they separated. Their foreheads were pressed together, their mouths touching, but not kissing, as they gasped for breath.

Arthur apprehensively pushed his hips against the other boy and felt the growing hardness against his. A pulsating wave of pleasure danced up his spine as he rubbed their hips together, erections meeting through the fabric of their clothes. Merlin's legs parted beneath him and the pleasure intensified. Arthur felt the slightest bit of fear trickle in his veins as he was confronted with sensations so foreign yet…oddly familiar? He heard Merlin's breath hitch and felt the boy arch up, meeting Arthur's thrusts. Merlin's legs parted, moving to wrap around Arthur's hips. They both strained, gasping and shivering as they moved together. Arthur's hands gripped into the mattress and his muscles tensed as he thrust harder and faster. Merlin clutched at him, grinding back into his movements. His legs squeezed tighter and his mouth gaped open, panting for air.

Arthur kissed his way along Merlin's jaw, causing Merlin to moan. Shuddering breaths filled the air around them. Merlin moved his head, turning to connect their mouths into another kiss. Arthur groaned, pausing his thrusts as he answered the kiss passionately. Merlin's hands wandered downward and grabbed his hips, lunging his own upwards. Arthur's brows furrowed and he clutched at the bed sheets, a little moan slipping past his lips. He rocked into the brunette. Merlin's mouth slipped downwards, moving to lick and suck along his shoulder. A hand reached up, running along the prince's chest, fingers moving to tweak at a nipple.

"Ahn!" Arthur let out a very undignified moan and blushed in embarrassment. Merlin shivered beneath him and continued to move his hand downwards. However, Arthur would have none of that. He grabbed onto the boys hands and pressed them into the mattress. Merlin looked up at him questioningly and the prince took the opportunity to seal his mouth in a searing kiss.. The other boy let out a shocked little gasp before settling against the blonde's mouth. Arthur pressed against him roughly, gentle roll of his hips turning into nearly violent thrusts. Merlin cried out, breaking the connection and arching backwards. He squeezed his eyes shut, trembling as a mouth went to his neck, moving along the flesh and marking him. His fingers laced with Arthur's, squeezing as the pleasure mounted.

Arthur listened to the desperate sounds coming from beneath him. He stubbornly refused his own groans and moans that wanted to come out, instead focusing on getting Merlin to make as much noise as possible. He moved his hips urgently, hands tightening around Merlin as their bodies, pressed impossibly close together, writhed against each other. He could feel their sweat mingling as heated chests rubbed against each other. Sparks danced in front of his eyes and his body shook.

"Arthur." Merlin moaned beneath him and Arthur pressed his face into the boy's neck.

He breathed heavily against the flesh there. His movements became erratic as he neared orgasm, feeling the boy tense beneath him. He felt a wet warmth spread beneath him and realized Merlin had reached orgasm. With a few more thrusts he felt the pleasure tear through him, biting into Merlin's shoulder a he came.

**Long A/N that you can skip:**

**A/N: Right, here's some stuff you should know. First off, both Merlin and Arthur are virgins (sort of.) Second, Arthur doesn't quite remember what happened during the spell and I felt wrong making him go through the emotional turmoil so he may not remember for a while. **

**Lastly, I should warn you guys, their relationship is not going to be all sweet and lovey-dovey once they get into it. My goal isn't to write some schmoopy-woopy relationship fic. Part of the interest for me is the conflict of their characters. So if any of you are expecting the following:**

_**Arthur gazed down at Merlin's sweet face, warmth filling his chest as he realized that Merlin was his home. His father had never made him feel loved and he had been a lone soul, oscillating between loneliness and being alone. But then Merlin found him, and suddenly he was complete. Now, he realized as he held the beautiful boy in his arms while tears streamed down his face, now he was finally home.**_

"_**I love you, Merlin." He sobbed. **_

"_**I love you, too, Arthur." Merlin said, tears running down his face in return. **_

_**Their lips joined together and everything felt right with the world.**_

**You'll be disappointed. I don't want to write that, it pisses me off. And then I'll have written the whole story for nothing. No, instead, it will probably be more like this:**

**Merlin: (roar)**

**Arthur: (roar)**

**Sex: (hot and conflicted)**

**P.S. Yeah, I completely forgot about Morgana. But she's not relevant, so whatever. **

**Anyway, review. Seriously, do I need to go over the Dementor thing again?**

**Me= Dementor**

**Review= your soul**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Okay, so I decided to quite being a whiny little brat about the people who don't review (Okay, I whined in my mind) and instead appreciate the few people who do. You guys are awesome and I feel like I've been giving the wrong impression by complaining. I do appreciate you guys, really. So, I dedicate this story to you. **

**Although, just in case, I have developed a review system. And I allow anonymous reviews so no excuses. If you don't know what to say but you like the chapter just type in 'Blergh.' There, you don't even have to say anything specific, just 'Blergh.' **

**P.S. That thing I said about Morgana not being relevant…oh, you remember that? Yeah…um…well, about that…forget about it. I believe she makes a brief appearance in 10…9…8**

**Chapter 12: 'Back in My Day…the whole world was an outhouse!…..ew'**

Merlin and Arthur was sitting at the table, not looking at each other as they picked at their breakfast. Gaius stared at them in confusion, feeling the obvious tension in the air. He opened his mouth, preparing to ask what was wrong, when the door slammed open, making all of them jump.

"Gaius!" The old man turned from his position at the table to see a distraught looking girl rushing into the room.

"Morgana?" He said curiously. She paused when she caught sight of the prince. "Arthur? Arthur where were you? Are you okay?" She said, coming over beside him.

"I'm fine, Morgana." He said, brushing off her concern. "What's the matter?" He asked.

Morgana turned back to Gaius.

"It's Gwen. I haven't seen her in 2 days." She said, sounding panicked.

Merlin, who'd been pouting at the lack of concern for him, suddenly sat at attention, looking worried.

Gaius paused a moment, thinking. He hadn't seen Gwen in 2 days either. But he thought it would be best if he didn't say so. "Have you tried her home?" He asked.

"Yes, she's not there." Morgana looked at him pleadingly.

Gaius felt dread come over him. Fighting it down he looked at Morgana kindly. "I'm sure Gwen's fine. I'll look into the matter and let you know as soon as I find out anything." He said comfortingly.

Morgana looked at him gratefully. "Thank you Gaius." She said, walking out of the residence a bit calmer than when she'd arrived.

After she'd left Gaius turned to Merlin, a look of dread coming to both of their faces. Arthur looked between them.

"The sorcerer?" He asked.

Merlin looked over at him in shock. "How do you know?" He asked.

"I told him." Gaius answered.

There was a small pause as Merlin stared at Gaius. "How do you know?" He exclaimed, looking irritated.

"I treated your wounds, Merlin." Gaius said, looking at the boy meaningfully. "I think the real question is why didn't you say anything?"

Merlin looked uncomfortable. "I didn't find out till Arthur went missing." He said, trying give away as little information as possible.

"Really?" Arthur asked, affronted.

"Yes." Merlin admitted sheepishly.

"And? What do you know?" Arthur said, giving him a scrutinizing look.

"Is it really very important?" A blush coloured Merlin's features.

This time, Gaius spoke up. "I believe it's vital that you tell us everything you know." The man said.

Merlin sighed, explaining as much of the scenario as he could while leaving out the Dragon, the sword, and the intimate details of Arthur' curse. All of which made it really, really difficult. Especially when being asked questions like:

"What kind of curse?" Gaius had interrupted, somewhere in the middle of his fumbling explanation.

"Um…a sort of…sleep inducing curse?" It ended up sounding more like a question and both of them looked at him suspiciously. "He was unconscious in the middle of the woods. So, whatever kind of curse does that." Merlin said, flexing his lips awkwardly.

"Right." Gaius muttered. After some silence Merlin continued.

All in all, the explanation ended up sounding hollow and confusing.

"Merlin, I know you're an idiot but certainly that's not the best you can do." Arthur snapped from his end of the table. "None of that made any sense. How did you take on a bunch of Serkets on your own?"

"A bunch?" Gaius asked in interest.

"Yes." Merlin confessed reluctantly.

"How many exactly?" The old man asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Um…4?" It was more along the lines of 10 or 12 but Merlin didn't need them any more suspicious then they already were.

"And how did you know there was a sorcerer?" Arthur asked again. Gaius, seeming to have realized the situation Merlin was in, had been oddly quiet throughout the scenario.

"I don't know. Instinct?" Merlin offered.

"Instinct?" The prince laughed incredulously. "Merlin, you have as much instinct as a drunken horse."

Merlin stared at the prince in exasperation. "Great." He bit out, irritation setting in. "So the next time you need someone to draw up a bath or fetch your breakfast you can skip right over me and go down to the stables with a bucket of mead." Merlin snapped, getting up from the table and limping to his room.

"Merlin!" Arthur protested from behind him. The prince got up from the table, following his servant into the room.

Gaius sighed. He had the distinct feeling that, from here on out, things were going to be ever more difficult then they usually were.

**Line Break:**

Merlin sat, fuming on his bed, when he heard Arthur enter the room. His muscles tensed.

"Merlin." The other boy said, voice quieter than usual.

"What?" He snapped, not in the mood to deal with the prince.

"Merlin, stop being an idiot." The blonde said.

Merlin sat up quickly, anger coursing through him. "Arthur, get out." He growled.

"No. I'm the prince you can't order me-"

"Arthur, shut up!" Merlin yelled, interrupting him. Arthur's eyes widened in surprise but Merlin ignored it, too focused on his rage. "Is that the only thing you know how to say? All I ever hear from you is 'I'm the prince.' Or 'You're my servant.' Is that the only reasoning you know? Well guess what Arthur, after last night…" Merlin trailed off, unsure of what else to say. He let out a weary sigh, sitting on the bed.

"After last night what Merlin?" Arthur asked, sounding somewhat shocked. Merlin felt a tiny bit of satisfaction go through him at that, knowing that Arthur wasn't used to getting yelled at by anyone.

"Nothing, _sire_, nothing." Merlin muttered, still feeling bitter. He kept his back turned to the boy, refusing to make eye contact.

"Merlin, talk to me." Arthur said forcefully; beginning to feel worried for some reason. Merlin being angry made him feel uneasy.

"Why?" The brunette muttered, pouting.

Arthur sighed, sitting next to the boy on the bed. "Merlin, I'm not going to beg. Tell me why you're mad or quit being mad."

Merlin stared down at his hands, mind whirring. Why was he so mad? It's not like this was unusual behavior for Arthur. Merlin examined the floor, eyes going wide when he realized that's precisely why he was mad. After last night a part of him felt like something would be different. Merlin always felt like he did so much for Arthur that went unnoticed and now that something like that had happened between them, he guessed maybe he felt like Arthur would be more…appreciative. Merlin blushed, awkwardly toeing the ground. He still didn't entirely understand the situation but he knew that what had happened between them was, at the very least, unusual if not completely significant.

He exhaled loudly, preparing for the question he was about to ask.

"Arthur…" He began, hesitantly. "What-"

"Guess who?" A cheerful voice said and the door swung open. "Oh, hey Artie, how are you feeling? Oh, who am I kidding, I don't care." Aldwin strolled into the room casually, making both boys tense up. "Merlin?" This time he actually sounded genuinely concerned. "What happened?" Merlin glanced at him, a little surprised at the tone. It amazed him how quickly Aldwin could change demeanors. The boy walked over, kneeling down in front of him and scrutinizing his bandages. Merlin blushed, coughing awkwardly and unsure what to do. Honestly, he found being around Aldwin a little disorienting. "Well, don't worry." Aldwin said reassuringly. "I'm sure you'll be better by the time we get to Cornwall. And if not the physician there is very good."

Merlin stared down at the boy in confusion.

"Cornwall?" Arthur asked voice tight.

"Yes, Artie, Cornwall." Aldwin said, shooting the other prince a megawatt smirk.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, a feeling of doom spreading in his gut.

"Artie here didn't follow through on our deal." Aldwin said, sounding more gleeful by the second. "Remember, the winner gets Merlin?"

"You can't possibly…be serious?" Merlin said, startled. He glanced over at Arthur, seeing the glare set firmly on the other boy's face. "He was wounded. He couldn't possibly have-"

"It doesn't matter." This time Aldwin's voice was ominous. "There was nothing in the bet about being wounded and if he's stupid enough to get injured the day before a duel then that's his problem. I win by forfeit."

"No." Arthur ground out. "No, according to the Knight's Code-"

"We didn't make a Knight's agreement." Aldwin sounded deeply satisfied.

"You said a Knight's duel…?" Arthur's face fell in realization.

"Yes, a Knight's duel. Not a Knight's agreement. The bet was far from honorable, Arthur." Aldwin said this in a tone that sent shivers up Merlin's spine. He looked frightfully victorious. "Merlin is mine." He said, looking at the brunette appreciatively.

**A/N: (shudder) This chapter scared even me. I know it's short but I was too creeped out to continue. **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: About Arthur's leg. I realize it got wounded in the fight with the Minotaur but I'm really hesitant to emphasize his limp for one very obvious reason. Okay, picture Arthur. Got it? Right, now give him a limp, possibly on his right leg. Yeah, now, just for fun, give him a cane. Lastly, remember his personality and picture him limping around with a cane as he berates Merlin. Do you see where I'm coming from? I mean, slap a medical degree on him and you've got House, B.C. It's just not right people, it's just not right. **

**Also, I'm totally loving the 'Blergh' System. **

_**Chapter 13; 'Back in My Day…we knew how to make an exit.'**_

Gwen's head throbbed, blood pounding in her ears and echoing painfully. She let out a little groan, a hand moving up shakily to clutch at her skull. She sat up and dizziness swept over her, making her clench her eyes tightly. She breathed heavily, waiting for the sensations to pass. As she regained control of her senses she became aware of a strange sound, off in the distance. It sounded like water, tiny droplets landing on stone. She opened her eyes, gasping. Everything around her was almost completely dark. She stood up slowly, gripping onto some stone to keep her balance. She walked forward hesitantly, struggling to take in her surroundings.

It looked like she was in some sort of cave or labyrinth. Through the darkness she managed to make out the shape of jagged rocks and the dome-like roof.

"Hello?" She called out fearfully. "Is anyone there? Merlin?" She looked around terrified and confused. "Please?" She called meekly, her only answer the small echo of her voice around the empty space.

**Line Break:**

Arthur got up from the bed, looking around the room.

"My shirt. Where the hell is my shirt?" He grumbled, tossing clothes around the room as he looked for his.

Merlin watched him in concern. Arthur wasn't behaving like Arthur. No, usually Arthur would tell him to go grab his clothes. But, he supposed, the prince wouldn't have usually stayed in his room for so long anyway. Arthur, were he behaving normally, would have demanded to go back to the royal chambers yesterday. Hell, he would have demanded so the minute he was set on the bed. It didn't matter that he was wounded and unconscious, he'd have done it in his sleep.

"Arthur." He started, looking at the prince in concern. The boy was moving slowly, stiffly, obviously debilitated from his injuries.

"Where did Gaius put my damn shirt? Can't go wandering about the castle like this." Arthur was muttering to himself.

Merlin stared as the prince moved to the other side of the room, tossing a pile on the floor. Out of the corner of his eye Merlin caught sight of something. It was brown and hard, a leather binding curved around a series of pages. The book! It was peaking innocently out from under the pile Arthur was currently demolishing. Merlin jumped up quickly, racing over to Arthur and pushing him away from his task.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur snarled, already in a really bad mood.

"Arthur, calm down. It won't be so bad in Cornwall." Merlin stated, trying to make the prince feel better. "And hey, you might get a better servant this time around." He ignored his own irritation at the situation, instead trying to calm down Arthur. If Arthur was calm then everything would be alright. He hoped.

"Merlin." This time Arthur looked at him very seriously. "You're not going to Cornwall. And that's the end of it." Arthur seemed to have calmed down a little. Merlin, however, felt taken aback. "Besides, I have a plan." Arthur said confidently. "But first, I need to find my shirt."

**Sorcerer:**

An orb sat on the table, focusing on a girl wandering alone in a cave. The sorcerer smirked as they watched her, stumbling on some rocks and looking around in panic.

Everything was falling into place.

**Aldwin:**

The prince sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. He leaned against the wall, thinking.

Merlin had given him such a…such a wounded look. And, honestly, he couldn't blame him. Aldwin had acted quite heinously. But Merlin was just so adorable.

Aldwin smirked as he thought of the servant, sweaty and lost in pleasure. He allowed his mind to wander for a while before he brought it back to focus. He wasn't a pervert, he swore he wasn't. Okay, he was. And damn proud of it too. But Merlin was…different. Whenever he was around him his mind locked in the gutter, permanently. But the boy didn't just stir his arousal. No, there was something deeper. Something twinkling just behind his blue eyes, luring Aldwin in. Aldwin felt a bond with the boy, an attraction that brought out the worst in him.

The prince sighed, thinking on what went wrong in the servant's chambers. He'd heard that Merlin had arrived, carrying the prince of Camelot, and had merely gone to check up on him. But, then Arthur had been in there, the both of them sitting innocently on the bed.

Then, Aldwin remembered the bet. It was something made on a whim and he'd regretted it almost immediately. Still, if he got Merlin then it was worth it. But then, the prince had gone missing. When Aldwin had entered the chambers and remembered their wager, he fully intended to tell the prince that the bet was off; he'd find some other way to get Merlin. He was, after all, a knight. But, when he'd opened his mouth, something different had come out. He'd been blinded by his own emotions and had acted, once again, selfishly.

Aldwin heaved a heavy breath. He needed to find his sister; she always knew how to make things better. Aldwin nodded his head in determination. He went to find Rowan.

He knocked on the door lightly, waiting for her to allow him entrance. Not hearing anything he knocked again. Rowan always stayed in her room during the Annual Meeting. She claimed it was because she was shy and didn't serve much purpose. Aldwin always figured it was because she was asexual and would much rather spend her time learning. She always had some sort of thick book with her, constantly reading about history, magic, legends or whatever else she could get her hands on. It was all very boring really.

Speaking of which, Aldwin remembered that servant girl reading about Serkets in the library.

**Flashback:**

_Aldwin walked around a book shelf, spotting a figure by the desk. As he came closer he spotted the same girl who had interrupted him and Merlin…twice. He looked over her shoulder, reading a bit of the text. Serkets?_

"_Doing some late night reading?" He asked, seeing the girl jump. _

_She turned around, snapping the book shut quickly. _

"_No, I was just-" she started to say. _

"_Serkets. Fascinating topic." He said slowly, looking at her curiously. "I must admit, I too have an interest in mythical creatures. I find their power to be rather intriguing." He smirked. "But I wonder, why would a servant want to learn about them? Not just that, but why want to learn about them, in the library, all alone, at night." He asked, even more confused. After all, Camelot wasn't known for it's acceptance of magic. Wouldn't she be in danger if someone found her?_

"_I really have duties to attend to, so if you don't mind…" She said, gripping the book tightly and trying to walk past him. _

_"Not so fast." He said, blocking her path. "I have some __**questions**__ for you." _

"_What?" She asked, stuttering._

"_Gwen, right?" He asked, continuing after she nodded slowly. "You're friends with Merlin, correct?" _

"_I don't know if we're quite friends." She answered, glancing away nervously._

"_Oh, come of it. I've seen you with him around the castle." Aldwin said, confused at why the girl was so nervous. _

"_Yes but-"_

"_Oh, don't make excuses." Aldwin said tiredly. "It's late and I'm not in the mood." He muttered. "Anyway, I was just curious, does he like flowers?" He asked. _

_She looked at him sharply. "What?" She asked, voice dripping in shock._

"_I was thinking Daffodils or Orchids. Maybe a combination?" He said suddenly, quite liking the idea._

_The girl laughed suddenly, a bright, relieved sort of laugh. _

"_Are you alright?" Aldwin asked. Everyone in this castle was sort of…odd. _

"_Yes, I'm quite alright." She answered, seeming to relax. _

"_Right." Aldwin muttered. "So, anyway, you're a girl. Thoughts on flowers?" _

"_I think he'll appreciate whatever you give him." She said. "But, I really must be off. It is very late." She said, brushing past him._

"_Oh, and one more thing." Aldwin shouted. She turned, looking at him apprehensively. "I think I'm lost." He admitted, not in the least bit embarrassed. _

_She flashed him a kind smile. "I'll show you to your room then, shall I?" She offered and he followed her, chattering as they went. _

**End Flashback**

Despite her nervous disposition she had been rather kind. He hadn't seen her in a few days though. He had the distinct feeling that if Rowan weren't such a sourpuss her and Gwen would get along quite well.

"Rowan?" He asked, opening the door to his sister's room. "Hello?" He looked around, no one was in there. Maybe she decided to quit being such a hermit after all.

Aldwin looked around, ready to go search for her, when a voice shouted down the hallway.

"Aldwin!" He turned around, spotting an angry Arthur limping towards him. Merlin was following desperately behind him.

"Hello, Merl'." He said, shooting the boy a smirk. "I see your finally dressed. A shame really, I enjoyed the view." He felt a thrill in his stomach when the other boy blushed.

"Aldwin!" Arthur barked, getting his attention.

"Yes?" He said, putting on the cheery tone he knew would only serve to agitate the other boy. He felt a wave of triumph when he saw the boy's lips purse.

"I have a new wager." He said, sounding very sure of himself.

"Really? What a pity I won't accept." Aldwin said, before addressing the servant. "So Merl', how do you feel about the colour blue?" He said, referencing the colour of Cornwall. "I think it quite suits you." He stated, watching the other boy squirm.

"I think you'll find this wager favourable." Arthur's tone carried a note of warning. Aldwin smirked and turned to the other boy.

"You sound very confident in this plan of yours." He stated. He enjoyed the way the other boy bristled.

"I resent the implication that I would use any form of underhand-"

"Drop the prince speech. What's your wager?" Aldwin asked.

"A tournament, winner gets Merlin BUT-" He said loudly when the other boy rolled his eyes. "The winner can also make three requests of their opponent."

Aldwin tilted his head, thinking. "I don't see how that's any better." He stated.

"Simple. If you win, not only do you get Merlin but," The prince paused, looking a little uneasy. "You can also request that I never see him again." Merlin looked up at him in surprise.

"Interesting." Aldwin said, smiling. In all honesty he had no intention of banning Arthur and Merlin from seeing each other. So that request far from convinced him. Though, he had always wondered what Arthur would look like in a maid's uniform so the offer was still tempting.

Aldwin paused, thinking. "Will this be a Knight's Agreement?" He asked.

Arthur looked conflicted. Silence seemed to echo around the hallway as they stared at each other tensely. "No." Arthur finally growled, anger emanating from him. "No it won't."

"Well then, Artie, you have yourself a wager." Aldwin sneered before trotting off.

**Line Break:**

Merlin stared at Arthur incredulously for a few moments after Aldwin had left. "You can't fight in your condition." He stated.

"Merlin, shut up and let's go." Arthur snapped, obviously not in the mood for this discussion. He began to walk down the hallway. Merlin followed reluctantly.

"Arthur, I just think-"

"Well then don't. It doesn't suit you anyway. Now be quiet." Arthur gave him a quick, warning flick on the forehead before continuing his journey.

Merlin stared at him angrily. Well, at least he was back to normal.

**Later that night:**

Merlin sat at the table, staring into his soup morosely.

"Merlin, what's the matter?" Gaius asked, giving him a searching look.

"I don't know what's gotten into Arthur." Merlin muttered distractedly, brows furrowed.

Gaius stared at him for a few seconds before sighing. He had been filled in on the situation as soon as Merlin had gotten home.

"Arthur possesses many good qualities," Gaius said, voice filled with wisdom. Merlin looked at him, trusting in what he had to say. "He is brave and loyal and he has the makings of a great King. Unfortunately, he still bears the irrationality of youth. The only thing you can do now is protect him the best way you know how."

Merlin nodded, staring back down at his soup while he thought of a solution. He looked up in interest, though, as Gaius started in on one of his stories. They were usually very entertaining.

"I remember one time Uther was visiting the Duke of Avery and somehow managed to get his head stuck in a pickle jar. They had to use a lance to-" Suddenly Merlin's eyes widened as an idea struck him.

"That's it!" He exclaimed, searching for some parchment.

"What?" Gaius asked in surprise.

Merlin began to write furiously, quill flying across the paper.

"Merlin, what do you have planned?" Gaius asked cautiously.

"If Arthur fights then he'll certainly lose, right? Well, there was nothing in the agreement saying Arthur had to fight." Merlin said, excitedly.

"Merlin…" Gaius said warningly.

"We need a knight that's undefeatable." Merlin continued. "We need a knight that not even Arthur can beat." He said, rolling up the scroll and heading to the door. "We need…Lancelot." Merlin said, leaving the room.

Gaius rolled his eyes. "Forget servitude. He should have joined the theatre." He muttered before going back to his meal.

**A/N: Please review. Remember: 'Blergh'**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I'm not gonna lie, this chapter was ridiculously fun to write. Also, I had no time to edit it so it might be a bit…um…rough, sorry. If something is desperately wrong I can re-upload it later. But, when I read it, it seemed fine. So, enjoy and review. **

_**Chapter 14; 'Back in My Day...um, I know there's a courting joke in here some where. Screw it, I'm tired. (fill in joke here)'**_

"I can't believe you went behind my back like that!" Arthur exclaimed, staring at Merlin angrily.

"I did it for your own good." Merlin defended.

They were currently standing in Gaius' residence, Morgana and Lancelot standing awkwardly on the sidelines while Arthur and Merlin shouted at each other.

"My own good? I can take care of myself Merlin. I'm not a baby." Arthur seethed.

"Could've fooled me." Merlin grumbled.

"Excuse me?" The prince suddenly grew defensive.

"You heard me." Merlin said, defiantly.

"You think I'm a baby? Oh, that's rich."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that at least I can defend myself. You, on the other hand, cower like a little rodent." Arthur began to mock him.

"Better a rodent than a prat." Arthur immediately ceased his actions, glaring at the brunette.

"At least I'm not an idiot."

"Arse."

"Moron."

"Clotpole!"

"Nincompoop!"

"Git!"

"Useless!"

"Whipped cream face!"

"Okay, now you're just spouting nonsense."

"It's not nonsense."

"Whipped Cream face? What does that even mean?"

"It means you have the face of a whipped cream."

"Merlin, do you even know what whipped cream is?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then what is it."

"It's…your face."

"Merlin, you're a complete idiot."

"At least I don't have a Whipped Cream face."

"Oh, stop being such a child."

"Stop being such a….an airhead."

"Airhead?"

"Yes."

"Merlin, the key to winning in argument isn't spouting mindless insults until your opponent gives up."

"My insults aren't mindless."

"Really? Clotpole, Airhead, Whipped Cream face? These all make sense to you."

"Yes."

"Of course they would. You're a complete idiot."

"And you're a tarter-butt."

"Oh, Merlin, give it up."

"If you two could stop acting like children for a minute," Morgana shouted, causing both boys to jump. They turned towards her, looking slightly sheepish. She continued, voice at normal volume "I'm sure both Lancelot and I would love an explanation as to why he's here."

Arthur and Merlin glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Lancelot is here," Arthur said through clenched teeth. "Because Merlin was confused. I'm sorry to trouble you Lancelot and rest assured we will provide you with accommodations however, you are not needed." Arthur gave him a charming smile, shooting a glare at Merlin over his shoulder.

"Merlin is this true?" Lancelot asked kindly.

The brunette glanced at Arthur awkwardly before shaking his head. "No it's not true."

"Merlin." Arthur bit out warningly.

"No Arthur, I'm not going to let you run around like a chicken with your head cut off. I realize you're the prince and it's your royal right to do so but I can't let you." Merlin said, clearly upset.

"Let me?" Arthur asked incredulously. "Well I'm sorry, Sir Merlin, but I'm afraid you have no say in what I do."

"Yes, but I do." An elderly voice said from the doorway.

All occupants of the room jumped, turning to see Gaius standing in the entrance.

"Oh my." The man said, approaching the prince. "Oh no. It appears you've come down with a case of the measles. And I don't like the look of that neck." He said, beginning to poke and prod at the prince.

"Gaius, what are you doing?" The prince asked, feeling ill at ease as the old man inspected him.

"I'm just diagnosing you, sire." The man said innocently. "Oh, is that a boil?" He asked, pushing a finger against Arthur's shoulder. Merlin coughed, hiding a laugh, and Arthur glared at him.

"Merlin, stop smirking. Gaius, there's nothing wrong with me, I feel fine." Arthur said defensively, backing away from the man. Gaius continued to follow, scrutinizing.

"Oh no my dear boy, I'm afraid you've fallen gravely ill and must be bed ridden for at least a month. I should report this to the king immediately." Gaius said, looking at the prince very seriously though there was a playful glint in his eye.

"I'll just tell father you're lying." Arthur replied confidently, though he looked uncomfortable.

"And a very serious mental illness." Gaius said, grabbing the prince's temples.

"I'm not mentally ill." Arthur protested, pushing the man's hands away.

"Sire, I'm the court physician. Would I ever lie to you?" He asked. As Gaius looked intently into Arthur's eyes a displeased look came upon the prince's face.

"Fine." He said through clenched teeth. "Gaius you have made yourself very clear. Lancelot will fight in my place." He snapped, shooting everyone a glare.

"Well, now that that's settled," Morgana said, smiling. Though her expression changed when she continued, "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

**Line Break:**

Gwen walked forward, stumbling slightly. She clutched to the wall desperately, watching as some rocks cascaded downwards. She was standing on a narrow cliff, a few inches wide. Past that was an endless pit of which she couldn't see the bottom. She gasped in fear, seeing a passage a few feet away. She took a few more steps, hesitantly.

Her heart beat quickly in her chest. Her whole body felt like it was shaking from adrenaline and panic, a deep urgency settling in her body. She took a few more steps, breath comic hard. She let out a terrified sound and stilled when she once again stumbled, almost falling off the ledge. Fearful sobs built in her chest and she clenched her jaw, taking in a deep breath and moving once again. She was so close now. She sped up her steps when she neared the passage way. She reached the end of the cliff, a jagged piece of rock sticking out. It lay a few inches from the tunnels opening. Almost on instinct she leaped off from the cliff, reaching a hand out and grabbing the wall of the passageway, tumbling into it. Her breath was ragged as she lay there, closing her eyes in relief and letting a few sobs escape her.

**Line Break:**

"Arthur, your stupidity is phenomenal." Morgana said tiredly.

"Me?" Arthur cried in exasperation.

"Yes, Arthur, you. Why fight Aldwin for Merlin? Why fight Aldwin at all? And, why would you bet on Merlin in the first place? He's a person, not your personal plaything." Morgana looked at Arthur in resentment. "Frankly, I don't think either you or Aldwin deserve Merlin as a servant."

Arthur looked taken aback. He opened his mouth, ready to say something, but Morgana continued before he could manage

"Besides, don't we have a far more important issue at the moment?" She said, looking at them expectantly. Everyone looked at her, confused. "Gwen." She stared at them all in disbelief. Lancelot, who had been hovering in the background and taking in the situation, suddenly stepped up.

"Gwen? What has happened to-"

"Honey, I'm home!" A cheerful voice sang from outside.

"Oh god." Merlin groaned, running a hand over his face.  
Lancelot looked at the door, furrowing his brows in confusion and irritation. The door opened and Aldwin walked in, looking as happy and relaxed as always.

"Ah, the lady Morgana." He said, giving an overdramatic bow. She rolled her eyes, a reluctant smile coming to her face.

Arthur shot her a glare, not liking the friendly air between them.

"Oh, Artie." Aldwin said after turning around. "If you stick that lip out any further a bird's going to land on it."

Arthur shook his head, looking confused.

"Ah, Merl', I got you these." He said, suddenly producing a batch of flowers.

"What?" Merlin asked, taking the bouquet in surprise.

"Don't take them." Arthur growled, looking at the plants in revulsion. "You're not a girl Merlin. Or did you forget?"

"Whoo." Aldwin exclaimed. "Well that was a little harsh." He said, turning to Merlin. "Does he always treat you like this?" He asked.

A tense silence filled the room and everyone looked around awkwardly.

"I'll take that as a yes." Aldwin said, before grinning at the prince. "Well then Artie, are you ready for our duel?" He asked. "We only have a few more hours."

"Actually." Arthur said. "There's been a change of plans. I'll be using a substitute."

There was a few seconds of silence as Aldwin stared at Arthur. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Very clever. I wasn't sure whether you'd pick up on it or not. Merl' here thought of it though, didn't he? I bet it was Merl."

Merlin, who had never actually spent that much time around Aldwin, was blown away at how happy the prince was. Up until now the only time they'd spent together was either physical or had to do with Arthur and Aldwin facing off. But now that everything seemed out in the open, the boy was actually quite charming. Merlin blushed, looking down at his flowers.

"My substitute," Arthur said, obviously annoyed. "Will be Lancelot." He said, gesturing towards the man standing awkwardly on the side.

Aldwin faced the boy. They both stood, staring at each other.

"Hello, I'm Aldwin." The prince said, grinning and reaching his hand out for a hand shake.

"Pleasure to meet you." Lancelot said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the prince's hand.

Merlin, Arthur, and Morgana all coughed, looking away uncomfortably. Gaius let out a weary sigh. "Young people these days." He muttered, shaking his head.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Okay, so do you guys remember how in Chapter 8 I said that dreaminGemini has me figured out because of the lake scene…well, I think they deserves a round of applause for also guessing that Lancelot would be paired with Aldwin. It was one of three guesses but still…it's a little freaky. Seriously, are you reading my mind? Quick, what was I just thinking about? **

**Also, Ichigo'sDragon also apparently knew (I quote: "I KNEW IT!') so props goes to them too. (sorry if that sounded sarcastic or passive, I didn't mean it that way) I'm sorry if there's anyone I missed, honestly you guys are so great and I really appreciate your support. **

**P.S. I have gone a full 3 chapters without writing something naughty. I feel so ashamed. Don't worry, that all changes now…**

**Chapter 15; 'Back in My Day…3rd base meant Baseball'**

Lips separated from skin, slowly, leaving warmth that didn't seem to ebb long after the connection was broken.

Aldwin gazed questioningly at the man before him. He felt a slight blush come to his face and fought it back. The man had taken him off his guard but Aldwin wouldn't allow that. He was always the one to make the first move and he stood by his pervert status proudly. The man would not get to him.

"Well, Lancey-poo, it's nice to make your acquaintance." Aldwin internally winced at the slight shaking in his voice. He cleared his throat, continuing in a stronger, more confident tone. "I'm sure our duel will be most entertaining." He finished tone more controlled and diplomatic than he was used too.

"Yes, I look forward to seeing how you handle a sword." Lancelot replied, voice dripping in innuendo. Aldwin narrowed his eyes. Was this man challenging him? Well, no matter. He would fight him, win, and then be skipping off to Cornwall, hand in hand with Merlin, before you could say "Arthur in a dress." Until then, he would keep it casual.

"Well, as a prince I'm well trained in all sorts of weaponry. Lances, bows and arrows, swords, cannons, all sorts." Aldwin cursed his nervous babbling. It was an awful habit that he'd developed…well, five minutes ago. Aldwin wasn't a nervous person by nature and he'd be damned if he was going to start now.

"I'm sure your skills are quite extraordinary." How had he made that sound sexual? How in the world had he made that sound sexual? Aldwin was going to beat him and then taking flirting lessons from him. If he could just get passed his infernal blushing.

"Yes, well…" He said, trailing off awkwardly and turning around, completely ignoring the other man. He bypassed Arthur, disregarding the smirk that had come onto the prince's face, and wrapped his arm around Merlin's shoulder, leading him away from the group. "So, Merlin, how are your wounds coming?" He asked, inspecting the boy.

The servant walked tensely, obviously anxious. "Fine." He muttered. Aldwin's eyes strayed to the brunette's neck, inspecting the marks he'd left almost a week ago. They were mostly faded at this point but there was a new mark, peaking out proudly from the boy's neckerchief.

"Oh my." He said dramatically, though inside he was smirking. Merlin jumped, looking at him in surprise. "Oh look, you appear to have been stung by a bee." He said, pulling the red material down a little and peering at the hickey. He heard a scoff and saw Arthur bristle out of the corner of his eye.

Merlin glanced around, slightly panicked.

"Don't worry Merlin; it's just a little sting. In fact, had I not been looking as closely as I was, I wouldn't have noticed it at all." Aldwin felt a wave of satisfaction go through him as Arthur let out a little growl. "You should watch out though." He said, leaning into Merlin's personal space. "We have a lot of bees in Cornwall." He began to stroke a finger along Merlin's neck, leering when the boy gulped. "In a week your whole body could be covered in these marks." The servant let out a tiny, almost imperceptible whimper, face turning a deep shade of pink. Aldwin felt triumphant. That'll show Lancelot.

Aldwin felt a slight confusion take him at the after thought. He'd been doing this for his benefit, not Lancelot's. He'd only just met the other boy and already felt a deep well of frustration for him. He brushed it off, focusing on the beautiful boy before him.

"Merlin, come on!" Arthur barked, walking over quickly and grabbing onto Merlin's jacket. "I believe you still have to clean my chambers." He growled in the boy's ear, making him shiver.

"Wait, Arthur!" Merlin protested as he was dragged out of the room.

Aldwin watched them, smirking. His eyes moved, almost unconsciously, to Lancelot. The other man was standing by the door, giving him a lecherous smile. Aldwin's smirk fell, instead looking at his opponent blankly as he scratched the back of his head, nervous. One would have to be looking closely to see it but there was just the slightest trace of pink colouring his cheeks.

Morgana and Gaius were sitting at the table, a deck of cards in between them and a pile of cards in their hands. Gaius stared intensely at his handful. Morgana, on the other hand, had been watching the scene unfold before her, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Gaius?" She suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Gaius responded, eyes never leaving their position.

"Is Camelot always this dramatic?"

Gaius heaved a sigh. "Yes." He answered, sounding drained.

"Incredible." She muttered in awe. "Do you think Uther has any idea?" She asked, turning to look at the other man in excitement.

"I don't know." The man grumbled. "Do you have any twos?"

She glanced down at her cards. "Go fish."

**Line Break:**

Merlin gasped as he was abruptly slammed against the door of Arthur's bed chambers.

"Arthur?" He asked, trying once again to get the prince's attention. He'd been calling his name all the way down the hall but the prince wouldn't answer, just stalking forward at an impressive speed considering his condition. Maybe Merlin should have let him fight after all.

Merlin let out another gasp when Arthur pressed against him, keeping him pinned to the door. He blushed when he remembered the last time they'd been pressed together.

"You're mine." The prince growled into his ear. Merlin shivered, eyes widening when Arthur slammed their lips together.

The connection was bruising, almost a little painful, but then Arthur's tongue slipped out, running along Merlin's bottom lip. The brunette shuddered, eyes going half lidded. Arthur threaded his fingers through Merlin's hair, holding the boy to him as his tongue slipped into his mouth, exploring every curve and crevice. A small moan escaped Merlin and his eyes fell shut. He put his hands to Arthur's chest, clutching the fabric of his clothes and kissing back with as much passion. He splayed his hand out, feeling Arthur's heart beating quickly in his chest. A shiver run down his spine when he realized that Arthur's heart was beating this quickly, this erratically, because of him. Merlin's other hand wrapped around the prince's blonde locks, pulling him closer as the kiss grew even more desperate. He felt Arthur's heart skip a beat and a moan escaped him.

What was Arthur feeling? He wondered, but the thought got lost in a haze as he was slammed once again into the door, their bodies pressing solidly together. He panted for air and their mouths disconnected, Arthur kissing his way along Merlin's jaw.

"Arthur." It was supposed to be a question, an effort to get the boy's attention, but it came out as a moan, slipping past Merlin's lips when hands crept into his shirt, running along his torso. Hands worked their way upward, calloused fingers brushing past a nipple.

Merlin jolted, a shot of intense pleasure coursing through him. "Oh!" He blushed as the sound escaped him, high pitched and breathy. Arthur stilled beneath him and Merlin felt drops of fear trickle into his mind. Had he disgusted Arthur? He wondered why he'd be so worried when the prince was the one accosting him. But he couldn't seem to bear the thought of stopping. He looked at Arthur, wide eyed and apprehensive. The prince was watching him, a hungry and heated look on his face. Merlin waited, holding his breath, for a reaction from the prince. As nothing continued to happen he let out a sigh, trying to move out from under the boy. He grabbed the prince's biceps, ready to push him away but instead ended up squeezing, biting his lip and slamming his eyes shut. Not only had Arthur began teasing both nipples, but a leg had slipped in between his, the prince's thigh rubbing experimentally against his erection. Merlin let out a strangled moan, arching backwards. Arthur leaned forward and began nibbling along Merlin's ear.

"Moan for me." The prince whispered, sending shivers along his spine.

"Wha-ohh." His question broke off into a moan when Arthur pressed on his erection roughly. He trembled, gripping Arthur's arms for support.

Arthur began to kiss along Merlin's neck, nibbling and sucking. "Shirt." The prince said, tugging on Merlin's tunic. The servant lifted his arms as Arthur pulled his shirt off, kisses being pressed onto his collar bone when the material was gone. Merlin groaned, moving his hands to the prince's back and pressing forward.

"Arthur." He gasped, barely able to stand.

"Bed." Arthur demanded.

"Huh?" Merlin asked, pleasurable haze completely void of comprehension. He let out a surprised 'eep' when the prince lifted him, carrying him to the bed where he was dropped unceremoniously.

The prince followed, crawling on top of him and gazing down hungrily. He reminded Merlin of a lion, staring triumphantly at his prey. Merlin gulped nervously, staring at the prince in apprehension and longing. The prince's brows furrowed and he stared at Merlin hesitantly.

"Merlin." His voice sounded tight, reluctant. "Do you want this?" He suddenly asked.

Merlin looked up at him in surprise. Did he? His mind flashed to the hard on currently straining against his trousers.

"God yes." He gasped, pulling Arthur downwards. Their lips crashed together, all other thoughts leaving their minds. Merlin tugged on the prince's shirt, pulling it over his head. Their mouths disconnected, meeting once again when the shirt was removed. The kiss was demanding and they clutched at one another, hands running over each others bodies as they moaned into each other's mouths.

Arthur's hands snuck to Merlin's pants, shakily untying them. Merlin groaned, mouth moving to the prince's neck, tongue trailing along the flesh. The prince bit back a groan, instead roughly pulling the trousers down. He hung his head, panting, and stared at Merlin's erection, letting out a breathy gasp at the sight beneath him. He tentatively reached forward, wrapping a hand around the appendage, staring into Merlin's face as he gave a stroke. The boy fell backwards, breath getting caught in his throat and eyes closed in pleasure. Arthur felt his stomach flip, knowing that he was doing this to Merlin, that Merlin wanted it, that Merlin wanted him. And he'd be damned if it wasn't the greatest thing he'd ever felt.

Merlin groaned, hazily reaching his arm out. He wanted to touch Arthur too. He wanted to give Arthur the same pleasure he was giving him.

"Merlin?" Arthur questioned, hesitantly, when he noticed the hands going for his breeches.

"Please." Merlin whispered, looking at him desperately.

Arthur nodded hesitantly. He stood up on his knees, reaching his hands down and untying his trousers, butterflies stirring in his stomach. He closed his eyes, pulling his pants down nervously. He heard a slight gasp and then, suddenly, he was being pulled down, on top of Merlin, a hand wrapping around his own erection. This time a groan slipped past his lips and he tensed, sparks of pleasure dancing around his body.

"Oh." He moaned, reaching his hand down and stroking Merlin as well.

Heat and moans filled the air as they touched each other, lost in the disorienting sensations of one another. Arthur held onto Merlin, groaning and gasping into his neck. Merlin moaned, arching upwards pulling the prince to him impossibly tighter.

"Arthur." He gasped, pressing his lips to the blonde's shoulder.

"Merlin." The prince groaned. It was quiet, hesitant, almost imperceptible, but it made the brunette freeze, a shot of intense desire coursing through him. "Merlin?" Arthur asked, stopping his own actions and looking at him in apprehension.

Merlin had never understood the appeal till now, of getting someone to moan your name. But when Arthur said it, voice dripping with need, it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

"Say it again." He whispered, so close that their lips were almost touching.

"What?" Arthur asked, confused.

"My name. Say it again. Please?" Merlin said softly, pleadingly. He needed to hear that sound again.

"Merlin." Arthur whispered, breaking off into a gasp when Merlin began to stroke him again, faster and more desperate than before. He groaned and the hand on Merlin's member began to move, matching the brunette's speed.

Their sounds grew as the pleasure mounted, coiling around every nerve and claiming every movement. Sweat slicked muscles strained and rubbed together. Through his haze of pleasure Merlin felt Arthur tremble above him. He focused on Arthur's sounds, Arthur's heat, Arthur's hand, Arthur. He was delirious, over run with the sensations of the prince. With one final thrust he was coming, the hand holding Arthur's member tightening, shaking against the flesh as he struggled to maintain his rhythm. Arthur continued to stroke him through his orgasm, intensifying the pleasure. The prince let out a cry and Merlin could feel his erection pulsate in his hand as the boy came.

Arthur laid down on top of him, both boys gasping in the afterglow.

**A/N: *headdesk* That was intense. **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: *totally crying right now* So the original A/N was a rant by me about how stupid Series 3 is (if you guys want to read it I can post it later,) but after last night I couldn't post it. I had the most depressing dream last night. I'm so distraught right now. And a little confused. I had a dream that Colin Morgan/Merlin died. Yes, died. At the end of the third season he was killed for lying to Arthur about his magic (I think.) But, as if that weren't bad enough, my subconscious played a really depressing song but used Colin Morgan's voice to sing it instead. Here's the song:**

**http:/ www. /watch?v=0fpfphK_YTM (take out spaces)**

**It played during the death scene with Colin Morgan's voice instead of the woman's. Do you see why I'm crying? I hate my subconscious. And, during the death scene, he was left in the forest with no weapons and got attacked by some magic creature. I'm not sure if he even knew why he was there but Arthur was standing on the side, watching. Merlin/Colin (I'm not sure which one it was. I think my subconscious decided to kill both) looked over at him confused, hurt, terrified. Oh god, I'm crying again. I feel so depressed. **

**Imagine if that's how the series ended? Could you just imagine how terrible everything in the world would be if they killed Merlin at the end? Especially like that. I think I'm going to need a phenomenal amount of yaoi and some strawberry milk before I continue writing this story. **

**(4.5 Hours Later)**

**Right, I'm okay now. Here's chapter 16.**

**P.S. Morgana's new nickname is Moose Nuggets. Yeah, that came about during the rant. **

_**Chapter 16; 'Back in My Day…*still crying***_

_**The Night Before The Duel:**_

_Morgana tossed in her bed, little gasps escaping her. She writhed, forehead creasing, as the images formed in her mind, causing little bits of distress to swirl around her body. _

"_No." She muttered. A cold sweat formed on her brow, evidence of her rising terror. _

"_**What are you doing?" Gwen exclaimed. She dangled helplessly over a chasm, looking as her attacker stared down menacingly. "Please! Stop!" She yelled when the form leaned over. **_

_**Gwen's fingers held tightly to the ledge, the only thing keeping her from dropping to oblivion. A hand peaked out from the figure's cloak, shimmering palely in what little light lit the cave. **_

"_**No!" Gwen cried. The hand linked into hers, disconnecting it from the rock. **_

"_Gwen!" Morgana awoke with a cry, chest heaving in fear. She looked around desperately, hoping that her friend would appear, prepared to comfort her after yet another nightmare. As she lay alone in her room, time ticking by ever so slowly, she felt coldness surround her body. For the first time, she felt helpless._

**Line Break:**

Morgana stared at the scene before her. News of a duel had leaked all over Camelot and people were gathering in front of the stadium, filling the stands and staring excitedly into the arena. Morgana, however, was not among them.

Over the past few days it had become obvious to her that no one was going to search for her servant. True, she could have brought the situation to the knights or Uther, but she'd learned from experience that it would be better to avoid such a scenario. After all, Arthur had been imprisoned for trying to save Merlin. And, if they knew that she was concerned for her servant, they'd know where she was headed.

Morgana kept her head bowed, sticking to the side of the wall as she fled. A group of villagers passed by, paying no attention to her and talking excitedly of the upcoming battle. Morgana rolled her eyes in irritation. Yes, even she found the odd duel to be entertaining, but considering the circumstances the whole thing was just stupid.

Her whole body felt tense as she hurried. She was certain that at any moment someone would come running after her, taking her back to the castle and away from her mission. Her steps sped up as she neared the city exit. Her heart beat more quickly when she noticed the guards standing by the gate. She glanced around nervously. She spotted a horse nearby, tied to a post. Perhaps…

The thought entered her mind that this was obviously someone's horse and, had she thought of it earlier, she could have used one from the stables. Then she reminded herself that a royal horse would have drawn too much attention and she was suspicious enough as it was. Thinking of Gwen spurred her into action. Ignoring the guilt that formed in her gut, she untied the horse. She mounted it quickly, grabbing the creatures reigns and signaling for it to run.

The animal barreled toward the city exit. The two guards looked over curiously as they heard a noise, letting out shouts of protest and surprise when the beast ran past them.

Morgana heard a shouted "Stop!" followed by "Sound the bells." Echo from behind her. She rode off, feeling the slight excitement of adventure. Though her concern for Gwen never wavered.

**Line Break:**

Gwen gazed around nervously, feeling her way along the wall. She wasn't sure how long she'd been wandering about but it felt like days. She felt weak from hunger, throat parched and cracked from lack of water. She held on though, the slightest flicker of hope never wavering.

A sound permeated her fatigue, guiding her forward. There was a light shining at the end of the tunnel and her steps turned into a run. She felt a wave of exhilaration. As she neared she found the source of the light. There was a small fire in the hallway, a person sitting next to it. A closer looked revealed a girl, frail and covered in rags. She was hunched over and sobbing, small anguished sounds slipping between her lips.

"Hello?" Gwen said gently. The girl jumped, looking over at her like a wounded animal. "Are you okay?" Gwen asked, kneeling down beside her.

The girl backed away fearfully. Her movements stilled quite suddenly, though, and she leaned forward, a look of recognition on her face.

"I've seen you around the castle." She muttered. "You're the servant to Uther's ward." She said, looking at Gwen in a mixture of confusion and relief.

"Yes, how did you…" The brunette paused, studying the girl more. An image flashed through her mind of a princess, dignified and quiet, observing everything around her. "You're Prince Aldwin's sister." She said. There was a feeling of uneasiness growing in her gut, something hovering in the back of her mind that told her something was wrong. She just wasn't sure what.

"Yes, Rowan." The girl stated.

"How did you get in here?" Gwen asked in confusion.

"I don't know." Rowan exclaimed, voice oozing panic. "I just woke up and I was here." She looked at Gwen pitifully.

Gwen glanced curiously at the fire but decided not to ask. Still, as she sat next to the girl and the day wore on, something about the whole situation irked her.

**Line Break:**

The sound of cheers echoed throughout Camelot, reaching Merlin's ears as he stood in his room. Listening to the sound an anxiety spread heavily in his chest. The servant knelt over, reaching under his bed and pulling something out. It was an object, long and thin, encased in a scarlet material. Merlin stared at it apprehensively and wondered at his actions. Closing his eyes he heaved a sigh. There was a moment's pause before Merlin nodded his head in conviction and, gripping the weapon tightly, left his room.

Merlin rushed past the crowd, heading for the tents. He approached one in particular, heart thrumming through his chest. Slowly he reached his hand out, pulling the tent's flap and entering.

"Merlin." A cheerful voice said.

"Lancelot." Merlin greeted, smiling at the knight before him. Well, he wasn't a knight yet but Merlin still considered him one. "I've brought your sword." He said, feeling a slight pang of guilt.

"Thank you but I already have a sword. I came prepared." Lancelot said, gesturing confidently to his array of weapons.

"Arthur wanted you to use this one." Merlin lied.

"Then that one I shall use." Lancelot said. He smiled at Merlin gently and the servant felt even worse. He hated manipulating the man's sense of duty but…Well, he wasn't sure if he could justify his actions. He knew they were selfish but he couldn't seem to stop.

Merlin set the object on the table, slowly removing the red fabric from around it. The sword came into view, emitting a powerful aura. Lancelot gazed at the weapon, admiring it. "It's a very beautiful sword." He muttered, lifting the blade and staring at it in fascination.

Merlin almost hung his head in shame. He should have thrown the damn thing back in the lake, he knew he should. But he hadn't realized that he'd even brought it back with him.

It wasn't until Arthur had been wandering around his room, searching for a shirt, that Merlin had noticed it. It had been lying innocently along the wall, going seemingly unnoticed by anyone. Merlin wasn't sure how the prince had missed it, he wasn't even sure how he'd missed it, but it had been in his room, somewhere off on the side. He swore that as soon as he got the chance he would dispose of it but now here it was, in Lancelot's hands.

"Well." Merlin said awkwardly, glancing away from the man. "Good luck." He said, unable to find the right words.

"Merlin." Lancelot's tone was very serious and the man turned to him. He reached forward, resting his hand on Merlin's shoulder and staring intently into the servant's eyes. "I vow to fight to the best of my ability, for your and Arthur's sake. I will protect your bond."

Merlin stared at the man in surprise. His guilt grew exponentially and he glanced at the sword. Did he have so little faith in Lancelot that he had sunk to such lowly tricks.

"Actually." He suddenly said. "I forgot. You can't use that sword." He blurted.

Lancelot looked at him questioningly. "But you said-"

"I was wrong. That's Arthur's favourite sword. He would have my head if he knew I'd taken it. I should put it back before anyone notices." He ripped the weapon from Lancelot's hand, rushing out of the tent. "Arthur's right, you are an idiot." He muttered to himself, vowing to get rid of the sword before he did something stupid.

**A/N: I lied, I'm too depressed to go any further. **


	17. Christmas Special

**A/N: Here's a little holiday treat for you guys. If you don't celebrate Christmas please don't consider this an insult. How about a bonus fun poem? You can replace the word 'Christmas' with 'Pancake.' Or whatever other word you want. Oh, how about 'Merthur? Makes it sound dramatic. **

'**Twas the night before Merthur:**

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Camelot,

The Prince and his servant, bickered and fought;

Though none could ignore the marvelous fray,

They mistakenly thought it was merely just play;

But it wasn't, you see, it was much more than that,

The two were involved in a great lover's spat;

And that's 'great' as in grandness, not as in joy,

For the prince felt no such thing for this boy;

He was useless and stupid and just plain ornery,

Yet when Merlin was around, Arthur felt kind of horny;

He was not alone, though, they both had this plight,

But couldn't express it, and that's why they'd fight;

So Arthur would yell and tease in a way,

That made Merlin blush and brightened his day;

And Merlin would grumble and continue his chores,

While fighting the urge to go down on all fours;

And they fought now, you see, because Merlin was standing,

Under some mistletoe placed by the landing;

Merlin just laughed and brushed off the incident,

But Arthur did not for he was persistent;

"It's tradition." He said, though they both knew the reason,

Had nothing to do with the holiday season;

"Arthur." Merlin sighed, looking away,

Though he'd been thinking of kissing the prince the whole day;

"Shut up." Arthur growled, and grabbed onto him,

He thought not with his brain, but a sexual limb;

He proceeded to kiss the boy with a passion,

Unrivaled by any in style and fashion;

Merlin let out a moan when he felt lips connect,

And part of his body soon stood erect;

"I believe that for Christmas you owe me a present."

Said the blonde with a smirk that was most unpleasant;

"It's not Christmas yet." Merl' said, in a low tone,

That soon broke off, into a moan;

The prince, you see, was really quite quick,

And before Merlin knew it the boy held his dick;

"What are you doing?" Merlin then stuttered,

The prince gave a tug and then Merlin shuddered;

"I want my gift now." Arthur growled in his ear,

And a hand moved around to grope Merlin's rear;

"Arthur, we can't do this in the middle of the hall!"

"Then how about we do it up against the wall?"

The blonde boy smirked and continued to vex him,

By bluntly proposing that he have sex with him;

"There's plenty of room in my bed for us two."

"I'm surprised with your ego there's room there for you!"

This led to insults, traded back and forth,

Both of them yelling for all they were worth,

They continued to snarl and scream and shout,

A spat worse than others, without a doubt;

Which is why in the morning, when they both wake-ed,

They wondered how the hell they'd both wound up naked.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I was totally going to take a break until Christmas had officially past, especially since Tropicwhale (Can I call you Tropic Thunder?) said that if I kept updating at the rate I am she wouldn't have an excuse to update her own stories. But, I was listening to Intimate by Crystal Castles and it made me feel so intense that I wrote the battle scene and just had to update. So…Merry Christmas…again….Or, I guess, Merry Pancake/Merthur to those who don't celebrate. **

**P.S. Can we make Merthur an official holiday? Imagine, Merthur Day. I was thinking somewhere between the 1****st**** of January and the 31****st**** of December. Maybe we could make a Merthur month. It would fall on every month that had letters. That would be awesome. **

**P.P.S. I'm sorry if you guys kept getting messages saying this was uploaded. was being weird yesterday and I kept having to reupload because it wouldn't accept an edit. **

_**Chapter 17; 'Back in My Day...I know there's a gay joke involving swords in here somewhere...'**_

Arthur sat in the stands, subtly rubbing at his chest. He cringed. His wounds seemed to be growing more painful as they healed, sharp little needles of pain prickling along his flesh. The chest wound was the worst though and he hoped it wouldn't scar.

"I don't remember hearing anything about this duel." Uther said quietly, a note of irritation clear in his voice. Arthur glanced over, coming face to face with his father. The king was leaning forward in his throne, staring at Arthur angrily.

"It was more of a spur of the moment decision. Nothing serious, just a friendly little duel." Arthur said unconvincingly. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking back to the field.

"We'll talk about this later." Uther growled before sitting back in his seat, shooting a friendly smile to the rest of the royalty.

Arthur cursed and glanced around, eyes straying to his servant. The boy was standing on the sidelines, near the bottom of the stands. Arthur stared at the boy, taking in his lips, his eyes, his hair, his neck, his clothes that hung from a deceivingly muscled body that-Wait, why was he wet?

Arthur's brows furrowed in confusion as he stared at Merlin. The boy's clothes were completely soaked, drops of water falling down from his body to land on the ground, creating a puddle beneath him. Arthur stared, torn between chasing his servant down and interrogating him or staying in his chair and keeping up his image. A glance back to his father cleared up any doubts. The King was tense. It was subtle and very few could recognize it, but Arthur knew that look. He would have to be careful of his actions around his father.

He knew that, as a prince, he'd been behaving like quite a boor lately and it had probably caused a great deal of trouble for Uther. Arthur sighed, vowing to track Merlin down later and push him up against something. That sounded like it would help.

"Oh, and Arthur," Uther said, leaning towards his son once again.

"Yes father." The prince said obediently.

"Put this on." The king ordered, handing his son a piece of fabric. Arthur grabbed it, holding it in his hand and staring at it in confusion.

"What is it?"

"A neckerchief." The king answered, giving his son a stern look.

Arthur felt his face heat up and let out an awkward cough. He wrapped the red material around his neck hastily, looking away from the king. "Father, I…" He began, trying to think of something to say.

"It's okay, Gaius told me everything." The king said.

"What?" Arthur choked out, throat going dry.

"A fight with a Minotaur can get pretty nasty. You were bound to sustain a great deal of bruises." The prince stared at his father, wondering if the man actually believed that. Uther gave him a look that revealed he clearly did not but would much rather prefer not to know the real source of Arthur 'neck wounds.'

"Thank you, Father." Arthur muttered, looking away from the man and staring back at the field. As he sat there awkwardly he suddenly wished that he'd chosen to chase after Merlin instead.

His uneasiness left his mind, though, when two figures could be seen approaching the battle ground. He watched apprehensively when they turned to face each other.

The crowd began to cheer loudly. A great ruckus took over the people as weapons were drawn and the duel was announced.

"It is my pleasure to call you hear today," Uther said and the crowd stared at him intently. Arthur admired the way he held their attention and spoke, clearly and precisely, to the people. His heard pounded a little when he realized that one day that might be him. He shoved back the anxiety though, instead focusing on the King. "For a friendly little duel between Prince Aldwin and Sir Lancelot. They have graciously agreed to fight for our entertainment and though there's no prize the winner will be honoured in a feast." He said, smiling to the crowd. "Now, let the fight commence." He shouted and the throng erupted into screams of excitement.

As the duel began Arthur unconsciously held his breath.

**Line Break:**

Tension filled the air as the two boys approached the field. They faced each other, their swords held to their sides. Covered in armour they stood on opposite sides of the battle field.

Lancelot's fingers flexed around his blade, squeezing it tighter.

"Let the fight commence!" The king shouted and Lancelot heaved a breath. Slowly, ever so slowly, the two men walked towards each other. They raised their swords, standing barely a foot apart.

"So Lancey-poo. You ready to lose?" Aldwin asked, snarky voice sneaking out from under his helmet.

An image of Merlin and Arthur danced in Lancelot's mind. Whatever their relationship he knew they couldn't be separated. The risks were far too high. "Are you?" was his only reply before taking a swing.

The clash of their swords echoed throughout the arena, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. Aldwin had deflected his blow easily. The prince moved sideways, feigning right and striking left.

_Clank!_

Lancelot blocked the weapon, dashing backwards.

"Impressive." Aldwin muttered, following the boy. The prince continued to swing at him, nearly making contact with Lancelot's armour on several occasions. Lancelot blocked most of the blows, managing to make some himself as Aldwin tracked him around the stadium.

_Swish!_

Lancelot evaded the swing, veering to the side, and thought quickly. He was on the defensive right now, which was never the best spot in a fight. However, he could use this to his advantage. As they continued to strike at one another he began to back up. He kept going until he reached the wall of the stands, back pressed into the wooden structure. People peered over the edge, gazing down at them in curiosity and fascination. Aldwin thrust his sword forward and Lancelot swerved. Aldwin's sword bypassed his head and dug straight into the wooden structure. The audience gasped, letting out a collective 'Ooh.'

Lancelot came around behind the prince, raising his sword and ready to strike. Aldwin quickly removed his weapon from the wall, backing away as Lancelot took a swing at him. Aldwin stumbled a little before regaining his balance and blocking the blow. Lancelot smirked; Aldwin was on the defensive now.

He moved towards the other boy and brandished his weapon expertly. Swerving left he jabbed at the prince, almost connecting with his armour until, at the last minute, the other's blade connected with his own, pushing against it. Their swords pressed against each other and Lancelot stared down at the prince. A tense battle of wills unfolded, each waiting to see who would back away first.

"What? Worn out already? I thought you had more stamina Lancey-poo." Aldwin said, voice breathy and panting.

"Oh, I have plenty more. I'm merely admiring the way your sword feels against mine. Almost as if they were made for each other." Lancelot said, tone nothing but lascivious. Despite the situation Lancelot felt drawn to the boy. Something about the way he spoke, the flecks of desire hovering behind his eyes, the way he let out a little gasp as Lancelot subtly stroked a finger along his hand, feeling the warmth through their gloves.

The peopled were out of their seats now, gazing at them intently as time ticked by. Everything began to feel taut and chests began to tighten as they waited, anticipating the next move.

"You're playing with fire, Lancelot." Aldwin warned, though there was an evident shaking in his voice. Lancelot smirked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He confessed. And it was true. While Lancelot was a man of his word, while he was loyal, while he was honourable, and while he was selfless, this prince brought out another part of him. He brought out the part of Lancelot that felt worthy, that felt selfish, that felt deserving. He brought out the hunger that Lancelot had long since forgotten. And the knight had to admit that he enjoyed the feeling.

Aldwin backed away, unconsciously submitting to the other knight; though he didn't know it at the time.

Lancelot smirked once again. The fight continued, more animalistic and brutal than before, to the delight of the crowd. They lunged at one another, emotions boiling just under the surface and spurring them forward. Lancelot knew that the feeling behind the fight had changed. Now it was no longer about Merlin, but something deeper, something scarier that seemed to catch Aldwin off guard. The other boy seemed distracted and Lancelot almost pitied him, sensing the struggle going on just under the surface, but any form of sympathy was drowned out by his own desire, his own lust for the boy.

Lancelot dashed forward once again.

_Clash!_

Their swords connected and Lancelot twisted his wrist, spinning his blade around and thrusting it forward. He felt a wave of satisfaction go through him when his weapon made contact, brushing against the prince's armour.

The other boy matched his stroke, blade clanging against the metal plate on Lancelot's thigh.

Each audience member gasped, leaning forward in the stands.

Lancelot pressed forward, striking Aldwin's torso with his sword. He could feel heat radiate from the boy in front of him, despite their distance, and he wanted more. He stuck his foot out, tripping the other boy and pretending to fall. He landed on top of Aldwin, spotting the prince's sword laying a few inches away from the prone boy.

The crowd let out boo's and jeers, the sound seeming to fill the whole of Camelot. Through the noise, however, Lancelot heard the breathy gasp sound from the boy beneath him. He leaned down, speaking right into the boy's ear.

"Maybe we never should have fought." He said and felt the boy stir slightly. "Because now I don't just want to win the duel for Merlin, but your heart for myself." Aldwin tensed below him and he let out a chuckle, rolling of the boy.

Aldwin moved to the side, grabbing his sword and turning to face Lancelot. Angry, the prince rushed towards him, swinging his weapon and almost managing to hit Lancelot. The knight moved to the side, striking a blow on the boy's back. Aldwin let out a groan, spinning around and knocking their weapons together. Lancelot's sword almost flew out of his hand and he was caught off guard as the blonde dashed towards him. He quickly lifted his sword and the sound of metal against metal rang out.

Lancelot backed away, gripping his sword tightly and raising it high. Aldwin once again came towards him and his blade slammed down, almost knocking Aldwin's right out of his hand. Aldwin let out a grunt and Lancelot took his chance.

Maneuvering to the left he pressed impossibly close to the prince. Lifting his sword as if he was about to strike he brought the blade down but, instead of hitting the prince, he slammed his sword against Aldwin's and slipped a hand out, running it along Aldwin's inner thigh. The prince let out a grunt of protest and his sword slipped from his fingers as he tried to back away. Lancelot stuck his foot out, tripping the prince. Aldwin fell to the ground and Lancelot held out his sword, pointing it at the prince's chest in victory.

Aldwin ripped off his helmet, staring at him in consternation.

"And the winner is," The King yelled over the crowd. "Lancelot!"

The crowd cheered heartily, the sound falling onto deaf ears as Lancelot and Aldwin stared at each other.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: OH MY GOSH! dreaminGemini IS PSYCHIC! I KNEW IT! Okay, whew (deep breath.) So back in chapter 15 I said she was probably a mind reader and I asked her what I was thinking about (by the way, the answer was 'tacos.') Well, I now have my answer. She was talking about Winelot (Lancey-poo's and Aldwin's couple name, Pron. Win-a-lot) and was wondering if there would be a sex scene. I quote, from her review:**

"I would like one scene, just kind of a revenge for merlin"

**And from my first A/N for this chapter, which I wrote three days before getting dreaminGemini's review:**

"**Therefore Lancey-poo will dominate Aldwin during sex. Consider it as a sort of revenge for Aldwin's actions towards Merlin."**

**o.O Spooky, right? dreaminGemini's new name is…The Great Dragon! Because she/he knows the future. Quick, what's on the other side of my destiny coin? Is it gay erotica? It is, isn't it? Awesome. **

**Anyway, the official pairings for this story are:**

**Arthur/Merlin**

**Lancelot/Aldwin**

**Morgana/Gwen**

**Also, I adhere quite strictly to the Top/Bottom rule when it comes to pairing titles. If you don't know what that means it means when you post the pairing the name order goes:**

**Whoever is on top during sex/Whoever is on bottom during sex**

**Therefore Lancey-poo will dominate Aldwin during sex. Consider it as a sort of revenge for Aldwin's actions towards Merlin. I kind of picture Lancey-poo as this over-bearing Seme when it comes to sex with Aldwin. So it might be less gay sex and more yaoi sex. Yes, I know yaoi is gay sex, but I'm talking more yaoi manga style sex. Because of both of their personalities I just don't see them as having destiny sex. And by destiny sex I mean Merthur. Let me put it this way, if Arthur and Merlin are like two sides of a coin, then Lancelot and Aldwin are like a monkey with a coconut. **

**P.S. I'm debating on writing a Morgana/Gwen sex scene. Only debating though. I did a search and was blown away by the severe lack of dirty stories about them. However, I've never written a femslash sex scene and am really hesitant to start now. Especially since I have a severe lack of experience with femslash as I've always found it a bit too lovey-dovey and long winded (like Buddhism. Oh year, I went there. Okay, sorry, I couldn't help it. I really have nothing against Buddhism.) Plus, slash is more my forte. Anyway, if you guys want some Morgy/Gwen naughtiness and are equally surprised at the lack of it let me know. If not I'm cool with that. They'll just be in lurve. **

_**Chapter 18; 'Back in My Day…I got nothing.'**_

The horse wore down all too quickly and Morgana dismounted, waves of fatigue washing over her. She walked forward slowly and her mind wandered, struggling to take in the situation that had come about. Everything seemed to contradict itself. She didn't know where she was going, yet something kept driving her forward; Time had passed by rapidly, yet it felt like it had dragged by; and for once good, sensible Morgana had been the one to traipse off irrationally to rescue the one she cared for.

_**Flashback:**_

_Merlin gripped the sword tightly in his hand, rushing towards the lake. He knew the fight would start soon and hurried. He didn't want to miss the battle and cause suspicion. _

_He felt a sense of relief when he arrived at the lake, breathing raggedly and resting his hands on his thighs as he stared at the water. After a short pause he rested the sword on the ground, unwrapping it from the blanket and picking it up. He gripped the handle firmly and dashed over to the water. He quickly threw it in, watching with bated breath as it sank to the bottom. Except it didn't. _

_Merlin furrowed his brows and walked forward, staring in confusion as the metal floated. Slowly the sword began to move across the water, coming back to the shore. It rested lightly by his feet. _

"_What the…?" He muttered, picking the weapon back up and staring at it in confusion. He took the sword and flung it forward again. It landed on the water with a 'plop' but didn't fall in, instead just hovering on the surface. It sped through the water, a little faster this time, before stopping right at his feet again. _

"_What's going on?" He murmured, looking around. _

_He grabbed the sword, once again throwing it in the water. _

_**Line break:**_

_Rowan stared into the fire, an image dancing around in the flame. She chuckled at the servant, Merlin, looked around in confusion before throwing the sword back into the water. She'd been very bored waiting for that other girl, Gwen, to find her in the cave, but this was providing some much needed entertainment. _

_Rowan whispered some words; pointing a finger at the sword and making it float on the surface. Slowly, she guided the blade back through the water and to the boy's feet, laughing when he looked around in frustration. _

_He tossed the blade back in the water and this time she stopped it in mid-air, flinging it back at him. He let out a shout of surprise, dodging the sword and falling into the water. Quickly he came back to the surface, coughing and spluttering as he looked around. _

"_Idiot." She said, laughing heartily as she stared at the boy. Suddenly she froze, sensing Gwen nearby. She cancelled the spell immediately, instead turning her attention to the other girl. _

_**Merlin:**_

_Merlin angrily extracted himself from the water, going over to where the sword had landed nearby. He threw the thing into the water, expecting it to float and come back at him. He let out a sigh of relief and frustration as the object sunk. _

"_Oh no." He groaned when he looked down at his clothes. "I hope Arthur doesn't notice." He grumbled, hurrying quickly back to the arena. _

**Line Break:**

"I can't believe he won." Arthur said excitedly, practically skipping around his room.

They were currently in Arthur's bed chambers, preparing for the feast. Merlin made a noncommittal 'Hmm" sound as he laid the prince's attire out on his bed.

"What? Aren't you happy?" Arthur asked, coming around to face his servant.

"For Lancelot? Absolutely." Merlin snapped, moving around the prince to go to the wardrobe. Arthur followed behind him.

"Are you mad at me?" He scoffed.

Merlin grabbed the blonde's jacket from his closet, walking around Arthur once again to lay the article down on the bed. "No, sire." He said sarcastically. "Why would I, a lowly servant, be mad at you, the prince of Camelot?" He asked, walking over to Arthur and beginning to undress him. He ignored the slight flutter that went in his stomach as he began to remove the boy's shirt.

"Is that what this is about?" Arthur exclaimed. He slapped the boy's hands away from his shirt and gripped his shoulders, looking down at him very seriously. "Merlin, you know I respect you." He said. "Even if you are an idiot."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Well, now I feel better." He spat, ripping away from Arthur's grasp.

"Well what do you want me to say?"

Merlin stared up at him angrily. "I don't want you to _say _anything." He snarled.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Arthur replied, frustration evident in his voice.

"I want you to not bet on me. I want you to treat me with even an ounce of respect. I want to be treated like I'm not disposable." Merlin yelled, running a hand through his hair. He sat on the bed and groaned, covering his face with his hands.

Arthur stood awkwardly for a few seconds, startled by his servant's outburst.

"Merlin, I…" He stuttered, voice tight. For nearly the first time in his life he didn't know what to say.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter." Merlin muttered, looking away awkwardly.

"No, Merlin." Arthur protested. He reached towards the other boy before pulling his hand back and rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Merlin looked over at him, hesitantly. "You're not…unimportant." He managed. The brunette just continued to stare at him and Arthur looked away, hand twitching nervously. "I may…sort of…care about…you…a little." He finally choked out, coughing afterwards. There was a short pause and Arthur finally looked over at the boy.

"Really? "I may sort of care about you a little?"" Merlin repeated, incredulously. "That's all I get, after everything that's happened?" Merlin gestured around wildly with his hands.

"What more do you want from me?" Arthur exclaimed.

"I want to know what's going on, Arthur!" Merlin yelled, getting up from the bed and coming to face him. "I want to know what's happening between us." He stated, gesturing between them.

Arthur bristled. "Nothing, Merlin. Nothing is happening between us." Agitation laced his voice.

Merlin froze, expression hardening. "Of course, _sire." _He said, tensely beginning to fiddle with the prince's banquet attire, stalling on having to undress the boy.

"Merlin…" The blonde started regretfully.

The brunette just ignored him, shaking hands working faster.

"Merlin…" The blonde said again, warningly. He took the few steps over to Merlin. Gripping the boy's shoulders he turned him around, looking into his face.

The servant sighed and shut his eyes. "What?" He asked voice unnaturally weary.

Arthur stared at him and his heart pounded slightly faster. He didn't understand any of this. He was desperately confused and wanted to cling to normality as much as possible.

"I-" He began, licking his lips nervously. "Merlin I-" He honestly had no idea what he was trying to say. No words seemed to come to mind and while there was this overwhelming feeling of _something _forming in his chest, he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The servant opened his lids, beautiful blue eyes staring into his. "Oh, screw it!" Arthur exclaimed before backing Merlin into the bed post and kissing him.

Merlin let out a protesting "Hmph!" while their lips were sealed together, his eyes going wide. "Arthur." He mumbled, though it sounded more like 'Armph." He brought his hands up, ready to push the prince away, and Arthur pressed against him more insistently. A hand wrapped around his waist and another clutched at his shoulder blade. Arthur stuck his tongue forcefully into the other boy's mouth, feeling the brunette begin to relax beneath him.

Merlin let out a little gasp as the kiss intensified. He moved his hands up, threading them through the prince's hair and holding the other boy to him as their tongues mingled. The kiss was rough and unrestrained, all of their longing, confusion, and anger being channeled into one connection.

Arthur gave a tiny growl, biting at Merlin's bottom lip and making the other boy whimper. The brunette responded by pulling roughly on the prince's hair, mouth battling for dominance with his own. They collided together fiercely, neither one backing down as the kiss grew almost violent. Arthur gave a grunt, slamming Merlin back into the post and pressing against him. Merlin answered with a groan, yanking roughly on the prince's shirt and ripping it open. Button's flew across the room and the prince rumbled, breaking away from their kiss.

"You're going to pay for that." He panted, glaring down at his servant.

"Make me." Merlin snapped voice breathy.

Arthur snarled and threw Merlin onto the bed, taking pride in the surprised gasp the boy emitted. Arthur crawls on top of the boy, smashing their lips together once again. They resume where they'd left off, tongues tangling roughly as their mouths battle together. Merlin runs his hands up Arthur's torso, yanking the prince's shirt off. The clothing is thrown carelessly to the side, both boys too focused on their actions to pay attention to the material. Arthur's arms go to either side of Merlin's torso, holding himself up as they kiss. Merlin's hands move to the prince's torso, moving upwards and rubbing harshly along a nipple. Arthur gasps, body trembling slightly above him. Merlin feels a wave of satisfaction hit him and focuses his hands, toying with Arthur's chest. The kiss is broken and Arthur's arms shake, eyes clenched shut and mouth hanging open.

"Merlin." Arthur gasps out, voice tight. Merlin senses the warning tone in the prince's voice and ignores it, moving to kiss along his shoulder, then collarbone, then chest. The servant is careful to avoid Arthur's wound, evading the skin easily and focusing on a nipple. He swirls his tongue around it, nibbling slightly before sucking. He glance's up, surveying Arthur as he continues his actions.

The prince's arms are trembling and his jaw is clenched, eyes sealed tightly and brows furrowed as he refrains from making noise. Merlin can hear small gasps escape Arthur and knows he wants to moan, but for some reason he refuses to let the sounds out. Merlin considers this a challenge.

Resolve hardened, he puts all of his energy into his administration, listening as the prince lets out tiny sounds. Merlin moves to the other nipple, blowing and nipping on it. There's a rough express of air above him and Merlin grins. He swirls his tongue around slowly before tugging with his teeth. Arthur moves to his elbows, hands clenched into fists. "Merlin, stop." He stutters, voice needy and quiet.

Merlin smirks, dislodging from his position. He hears the prince let out a sigh of relief. Merlin gets an idea and moves downwards on the mattress, eager to try something.

"Wait, Merlin, where are you going?" Arthur exclaims, staring as the servant moves down to his hips. "Oh, no, no, no." He chants when Merlin just shoots him a conspiratorial grin and reaches for his pants. Arthur makes to move away from the boy but Merlin just rolls his eyes.

"I knew you were closed off, but this is ridiculous." The servant says, grabbing the prince's hips and flipping them over.

"Merlin!" Arthur protests, trying to back away. The servant just stares down hungrily, yanking Arthur's pants down. "No, I'm in charge!" The blonde says in a last ditch effort to get the boy to listen. Merlin just scoffs and tugs on Arthur's underwear. "I'm the prince! You can't just-"

"And I'm your servant." Merlin interrupts. "And I'm serving you." He says, pulling the underwear away and freeing Arthur's erection.

The prince gapes at him for a few seconds. "Merlin don't be such a smartarse- Oh!" He suddenly breaks off from his rant as Merlin leans down, running his tongue along the prince's member experimentally. The blonde's eyes go half-lidded, face flushing a deep red. "Merlin." He growls through clenched teeth, lacing his fingers through Merlin's hair and trying to tug him off.

Merlin fights the insistent tugging, taking the head into his mouth and sucking forcefully. "Ah!" Arthur cries out in shock, arching backwards.

'_That's more like it.' _Merlin thinks happily. The prince's arms are trembling and Merlin can tell he's nervous. And, if he were being completely honest, the servant was nervous as well.

Apart from Aldwin, he didn't have experience doing anything even remotely sexual. However, he'd heard some raunchy stories in his village's tavern, and he had a basic idea. He hadn't taken most of the stories seriously but when he'd been under Arthur, the sudden idea had crossed his mind.

He'd remembered a local man sharing a vulgar story about a handmaiden satisfying him using only her mouth. At the time he'd thought it impossible but when he was under Arthur he'd suddenly wanted to try it. And it seemed to be working.

Despite his nerves he tried to stay calm, knowing that Arthur could freak out at any minute.

He held Arthur's hips in place as he tried to take as much of the appendage into his mouth as he could.

"Oh god." Arthur groaned above him. The hands in his hair pulled insistently, not away but closer. The prince moaned and gasped, trying to thrust his hips upwards.

Merlin kept his hold firm and ran his tongue along the bottom of Arthur's cock, enjoying the way the boy's thighs shook as he did so. He massaged the tip with his tongue, bobbing his head up and down and sucking roughly. Arthur's head rolled back and desperate little moans escaped him. His breathing was shaking and rapid as the feeling overtook him. Droplets of sweat began to drip down his forehead as he strained, seeking the heat of Merlin's mouth, wanting more, _needing _more.

Merlin lowered a hand, toying with the prince's testicles. Arthur let out a shocked cry, toes curling in pleasure at the dual sensations. "Merlin." He moaned, voice dripping in lust and need.

Merlin shivered, feeling his own hardness twitch as Arthur moaned his name. He let out a groan of his own, feeling the prince shake as the vibrations ran along his erection, adding to the overwhelming pleasure. Merlin sped up, sucking harder and licking methodically when he heard the prince's moans increase.

**Line Break:**

Aldwin walked from Gaius', humming along his way. He felt the bandage along his torso, rolling his eyes before continuing his journey. The physician had been a bit overbearing, continually trying to patch him up and advise him. He'd told the man he was fine but had somehow ended up perched on a chair while a frantic Gaius gave him an inspection. Even though he'd just had a bruise the man had insisted upon bandaging him. He figured the man was either really bored or a bit of a pervert. After all, he'd only gone in there for Merlin.

Aldwin headed towards Arthur's chambers, guessing that's the next best place to find Merlin. He figured that if Arthur was going to request he didn't see Merlin anymore then he might as well spend as much time with the boy as possible while he still had the chance. Not that he'd honour the request anyway. It was just a request, not an order. Really, Arthur was very stupid. And presumptuous.

'_It's a good think he's a prince or a pervert would have taken advantage of him by now.' _Aldwin thought in amusement.

He continued his journey, going around the back way instead of the front door. This way he could up on them. Which would annoy Arthur. Aldwin chuckled at the thought, walking up the stairs and into the little hallway, sneaking up to the door as quietly as possible.

He turned the handle slowly, opening the wooden slab as quietly as possibly. He only managed to get it a fraction of the way open before freezing. There were moans coming from inside. Peaking through the slot a surprised gasp escaped him. There, right before his eyes, was Merlin with Arthur's dick in his mouth. Aldwin almost spluttered as everything began to feel suddenly warm and a deep blush coloured his face. He moved to close the door but a hand stopped him.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" A familiar voice whispered in his ear and he shivered.

"W-what?" He stuttered, turning to look in Lancelot's eyes. The boy was leaning very close to him, staring down at him hungrily.

"You can watch if you want. I won't say anything." Lancelot said, looking at him like he genuinely meant it.

This time Aldwin did splutter, pushing the boy away and shutting the door hastily. "I'm not a pervert." He snapped.

"But you did want to watch." Lancelot countered, looking at him meaningfully.

"No I didn't." Aldwin hissed, glaring at the other man. Naturally a small part of him did want to watch but only out of curiosity. And one certainly couldn't judge him for that.

"You mean a small part of you isn't curious?" Lancelot sounded far too honest and kind for Aldwin's liking. It caught Aldwin off guard and infuriated him. Lancelot approached the prince, looking almost feral as he did so. "Aroused, even?" Lancelot asked and ran his hand delicately along Aldwin's cheek, leaning into his face.

"No." Aldwin protested, slapping the hand away. Lancelot grabbed both of Aldwin's hands, holding them and staring down at him seriously.

"I think you're lying." The man said simply, no judgement evident in his tone.

Aldwin gaped at him. He had his fair share of issues and he was well aware that most people thought he was a pervert (which he was) but at least he drew the line at voyeurism.

Lancelot stared at him contemplatively before smiling. Suddenly he produced a bit of rope, wrapping it around Aldwin's wrists.

"What are you doing?" The boy said, trying to tug away. "And why the hell are you carrying that around?" He said, giving Lancelot a strange look. Seriously, why did the knight have rope in his pocket? The man overpowered him long enough to tie his wrists together, though Aldwin had put up a good fight. The prince would be loathe to admit it but he was a little bit terrified.

Lancelot suddenly turned him around, opening the door slightly.

"No wha-" A hand was suddenly wrapped around his mouth, keeping him quiet.

"Shh." Lancelot's breath came hot against his ear and Aldwin shivered. "You don't want anyone to find us, do you?" He asked.

Aldwin stood, frozen in shock. One hand kept him pinned against Lancelot's body while the other hand was wrapped around his mouth keeping him quiet and keeping his head aimed at the sight before him. He stared in shock as Arthur descended on Merlin, obviously having orgasmed while they argued. Aldwin couldn't help watching in morbid fascination as the beautiful brunette cried out, arching in pleasure as Arthur lapped at his erection. It was oddly erotic and Aldwin felt embarrassment fill him when he realized he was becoming aroused by the sight. Reluctantly he shut his eyes, feeling his natural sense of shame prevent him from being able to watch. He clawed at the hand covering his mouth, trying to yank it away but Lancelot kept his hold.

"This may be the last time you'll get to see Merlin like this." The knight said and Aldwin froze, glancing at him questioningly out of the corner of his eye. "I know you made a deal and I intend to see that you stick to it. So if Arthur requests you stay away, I'll make sure you stay away." Lancelot said seriously. "Consider this a favour." He whispered in his ear, sending that annoying shiver up Aldwin's spine once again.

Aldwin glared at the boy, feeling rage fill him. This bastard thought he was doing him a favour? He squirmed, muffled protests coming form behind the hand.

"I know you like it." Lancelot smirked at him, hand running down to grip at his erection. Aldwin shuddered, going still in the man's arms. His eyes went wide and he shook his head, looking at Lancelot pleadingly. Lancelot turned his head back to the room, making him face the two boys. Merlin's moans had grown desperate now as he was completely lost in pleasure. Aldwin felt a lurch in his stomach when he realized that, somehow, he was more aroused by the man behind him. His eyes slipped shut as a hand snuck into his trousers, wrapping around his erection. He lowered his tied wrists to that arm, trying to hold it still or stop it so that maybe he could have some time to think, to process the situation. He clutched desperately at the appendage as Lancelot stroked him, calloused fingers running along sensitive flesh. Aldwin shook his head again, trying to squirm in the boy's grasp.

The moans from the bedroom continued, resounding in Aldwin's head in a hideous, sickening sort of way. He reached his hands out, pulling the door closed as best he could with his hands tied. He felt like maybe, just maybe, if the door was shut than everything would make sense again. He moved his eyes to Lancelot's, as if to say "There, you can stop." Lancelot just gave him a questioning glance.

"I take it the sight was not to your liking?" Lancelot said. Aldwin gave him an exasperated look and nodded his head. "Then…" The man glanced at Aldwin's erection before giving him a look of realization that sent anxious butterflies around his stomach. "You're desire was because of me." He stated, a look of delight coming onto this face.

Aldwin balked, staring at the man in disbelief. He began to speak again, trying to tell the man that he was crazy, but the hand on his mouth hadn't moved. And neither had the hand on his erection. Lancelot began to pump him almost expertly. His pace was dizzying and fingers seemed to find the most sensitive areas, squeezing along a vein at the base or running a finger over the tip. Aldwin let out a whimper, shivering and almost falling over as Lancelot touched him.

A mouth moved down to his neck, licking and sucking at the flesh their. Aldwin shook, fingers digging into Lancelot's arm as the sensations began to take him. Aldwin let out a muffled cry, knees buckling. Somehow they ended up on the ground, Aldwin sitting in the man's lap as the hand continued to stroke him, eliciting desperate whimpers. He was leaning against Lancelot, head thrown back on the shoulder and eyes shut as heat filled him, making his breath ragged and making his head spin. His mouth was open under the hand, humid air escaping him and moistening the flesh. If possible Lancelot thrust even faster, causing Aldwin's hips to buck and his toes to curl.

Desperate whimpers were escaping him as white hot sparks danced along his veins, making every muscle tense as the pleasure bordered on painful. He was surprised at how overwhelming this felt, how much he was gaining from such a simple touch. He'd had sex a few times but nothing had ever felt so _intense. _

He quivered as he was brought to the brink, orgasm ripping through him. He let out a strangled cry as a warm wetness filled his trousers.

**A/N: *cough* I may have gone a little overboard with the sex.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Okay, let's get this out of the way right now. In case you guys haven't noticed, I have a nipple fetish. Yes, I have a nipple fetish (Especially Arthur's nipples.) And I like bondage. Also, I like it when the Top gets a little dominating and overpowers the Bottom. On the other hand, when it comes to Arthur and Merlin, I like them to be equals. I see their relationship as this sort of slow struggle towards equality. Especially if they're to be romantically connected. Which is why when I write them having sex I try to make them equals, because that, to me, is far hotter than one dominating the other. At least, in the context of this story. So Arthur will be on top during sex but Merlin will definitely do his share. In fact, I'm desperately fighting my temptation to have them alternate between topping each other. I mean, Merlin has to do crap for Arthur every day, he's his flipping servant, and I think constantly having to bottom to him combined with Arthur's issues giving into his feelings, combined with the fact that Arthur's all "You're my servant, get down on your knees bi-atch" …well I just imagine it being very **_**irritating **_**for Merlin. I mean, if I were in that dynamic and I had a penis I would go to town on Arthur...okay, even if I didn't have a penis but that's cause I'm a dirty person. Man, I hope I never have to meet the cast of Merlin. That would be awkward. **

**Anyway, I just think that if they are ever to have a successful romantic/sexual relationship they need to feel like equals and if they're ever to feel like equals they need to be able to have equality sex. Not just 'Roar' sex or 'I love you' sex but the kind of sex where…okay, look, Two sides of a coin sex. That's the official name. Granted, there's a heads/tails issue with the coin. But it doesn't always land Heads up. There's a whole 50/50 thing going on so I…wow, totally just confused myself. Okay, look, they need to feel equal and the only way to do that is if they aren't all "U R TEH UKE & I M TEH SEME!' No, it's "We're having sex because we are *unintelligible mumble* with each other…sort of….a little….not really." **

**Also, Arthur's a neurotic mess. We all know this. And I have trouble seeing him just relax and accept his feelings during sex, especially if Merlin's making him feel good. So yes, he's going to have an infinitely difficult time just relaxing and moaning. Merlin, on the other hand, is more comfortable with himself. I see him as being more willing to explore pleasures during sex or relinquish himself to pleasure. Yes, I have thought about this way too much. **

**Well, there's my psychological run down on the two fictional boys and I hope you understand why I'm writing them the way I am. Especially during sex. **

**Also, if you guys think that it would be better for me to let them alternate in this story (which I personally think it would) let me know. Otherwise, I'll just write those scenes for me and leave them out. Or put them in another fic. **

**P.S. If you like Yaoi sex than you should totally want Merlin to top at one point. Why? Because:**

**Arthur= Neurotic mess who's totally insecure about his vulnerability and completely overwhelming pleasure during sex**

**Neurotic mess who's totally insecure about his (you get the picture) =Uke**

_**Chapter 19; 'Back in My Day…errrrrr'**_

Morgana yawned as she walked, shaking her head to wake herself up. She wasn't sure where she was at this point…somewhere deep in the woods. She, at least, knew that much.

The horse let out a protesting sound from behind her, clearly weary. Morgana sighed, realizing that she would have to stop for the night. She looked longingly ahead of her before shaking her head.

She wanted, quite desperately, to keep moving forward but…it just wouldn't do. She was in no condition to journey onward and neither was her horse.

'_Gwen.' _She thought to herself. _'I will find you. I swear it.' _

She settled onto the ground, allowing her eyes to slip shut and sleep to take her.

**Line Break:**

The court was filled with the sound of chatter and laughter. Everyone dined happily, congratulating Lancelot on his victory. Aldwin sat uncomfortably at the head table. His and Lancelot's eyes met across the room and he felt rage and discomfort course through him. He was also, unfortunately, blushing.

"A toast!" The king shouted, rising from his chair. "To Lancelot for his victory!"

Everyone raised their glasses, giving a cheer for Lancelot.

"Come young man. There's a seat for you at our table." Uther said, gesturing to a place for the young man to sit.

Lancelot nodded humbly, coming slowly up to the front table and taking the empty seat. Right next to Aldwin.

Everyone cheered and went back to their meal. Happy music filled the room as jovial tones and clinking dishes sounded all around.

"I have heard a congratulations from everyone but you." Lancelot noted from his spot next to Aldwin.

The prince fiddled his fingers nervously, trying to hide his anxious trembling by lifting his glass. "Congratulations." He said, not looking at the man as he lifted his goblet in a little toast before taking a quick sip. Some mead clung to his lips and he licked it away, turning to look at Lancelot. He was met with a stare, full of hunger and barely veiled lust.

He coughed and fidgeted in his chair, looking away. He jumped suddenly when he felt something warm rub along his leg. A quick glance under the table revealed Lancelot's hand running slowly up his thigh.

"What are you doing?" He whispered, looking at Lancelot in surprise.

Aldwin reached down, pushing the man's hand away only to have it entwine with his own. The finger's slipped in between his and he seethed, scowling at the other boy. "Quit playing around." He hissed, jaw clenching in frustration. He began wiggling his hand, trying to get it free. Lancelot squeezed his hand, using his other to grip Aldwin's jaw. He turned Aldwin's face towards his own, leaning in closer.

"I would never play around when it comes to your feelings." Lancelot said, voice soft and gentle. The prince froze, staring at Lancelot in confusion. He glanced around, licking his lips nervously.

"People are staring." He stuttered, spotting people watching them out of the corner of his eye. He tried to move away and Lance's hand went to the back of his head, toying with his hair. "Lancelot, let go." He said, trying to move away again.

"No." The knight said defiantly, smirking.

"No?" Aldwin asked in exasperation.

"Not unless…" Lancelot started, staring at him contemplatively. "Perhaps, in exchange for a kiss?"

Aldwin fumed and his eyes blazed. Suddenly he stood up, ripping unceremoniously away from Lancelot and storming out of the hall. While they had mostly gone unnoticed Lancelot caught sight of several people staring and whispering.

Lancelot ignored them, smirking as he watched the prince stomp away. He hadn't missed the blush that had coloured the boy's face, nor the way it had exponentially darkened at his proposal.

He talked politely with several of the royals for a few minutes, waiting a suitable amount of time before exiting the hall, searching for Aldwin.

**Line Break:**

Merlin hovered on the edge of the great hall, shifting from foot to foot. He reached a hand up, brushing it irritably against his cap. He didn't know why Arthur always insisted on him wearing this ridiculous outfit. It really was quite uncomfortable.

He glanced over at the prince nervously, a deep blush colouring his face. Arthur was staring at him. Well, smirking. It was incredibly unnerving, bringing to mind memories of their earlier activities. Merlin huffed, looking away.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of the prince now, images coming to his brain that were far from appropriate. He looked back at Arthur, unable to keep his eyes off the gorgeous blonde.

Arthur was talking politely to some royal duke or prince (Merlin had trouble keeping track.) He smiled politely and laughed at something the other boy said and Merlin's eyes narrowed a slight thumping coming to his chest. The prince took a sip of his wine, licking his lips out to catch the liquid that lingered on his lips. Merlin's breath caught. He looked away quickly, tugging lightly at his collar as the room got impossibly hot.

He furrowed his brows and found his eyes landing on the prince, once again. He bit his lip as conflicting emotions coursed through him.

On the one hand: Arthur was the prince; Arthur was important; Arthur needed to form good relations with neighboring royals; and, as Arthur's servant, Merlin was supposed to support/respect these facts.

On the other hand: Merlin wanted nothing more right now than to punch whoever Arthur was talking to in the face and drag the prince back to his chambers where they would engage in naughty activities for the rest of eternity.

Suddenly the prince's eyes turned to him, narrowing into angry little slits. Merlin looked at him in surprise before-

"Hello, Merly-poo."

Merlin jumped about a foot in the air, looking behind him in shock. He came face to face with Aldwin, hovering behind him like an escaped criminal.

"Aldwin, what are you doing?" He hissed, already a little high strung so all semblance of manner left him.

"I was getting bored and you just looked so cute in your little outfit." He said, moving his finger out to flick at the feathers on Merlin's hat.

"I'm not cute." Merlin snapped, slapping the hand away.

"Aw, Merlin, what's wrong? Things tense between you and Artie-poo?" Aldwin held his traditional playful tone but there was something else in his voice. It was sort of tense and…Merlin took a closer look at the prince, catching a slight note of…sadness?...in the other boy's face. It was unnerving to say the least.

"Aldwin, what do you want?" Merlin asked, suddenly serious. Aldwin looked a little surprise, playful look falling from his place and one of contemplation replacing it. Merlin felt his heart beat just a little quicker as they both stared at each other, and his breath came just a little bit faster.

"You." Aldwin said voice honest and straight forward.

Merlin stared up at him and the air felt heavy, thick with _something. _Merlin found that more and more lately he'd been unable to place his emotions, but whatever was happening was intense and mind numbingly sensual.

"Aldwin." He said, voice sounding far more breathy than he'd intended. He coughed, clearing his throat. "Aldwin, it's not possible." He muttered, unsure what he was trying to say. "Arthur and…" He made a futile gesture towards the prince and trailed off, not sure where he was going.

"Come with me." Aldwin said spontaneously, grabbing hold of Merlin's wrist and tugging him behind him.

"No, Aldwin! I can't leave." Merlin protested, trying to pull back. The blonde refused to listen to him, dragging him out of a door on the side of the hall.

**Line Break:**

Arthur's attitude took a complete turn. He'd been having a good day, a really good day.

Merlin was officially his, they'd engaged in some rather enjoyable activities in the bedroom, and he'd felt like everything would move forward smoothly. But that damn prince was so persistent.

He stared as Aldwin approached Merlin and they talked rather intimately. He watched with baited breath, waiting for Merlin to push him away or blow him off. But he didn't. Seconds ticked by but the servant just leaned closer, staring up at Aldwin in a way that sent fire through Arthur's face.

And then, Aldwin had dragged Merlin from the room, and Arthur saw red…

**Line Break:**

"Lancelot!" The man looked behind him curiously, spotting Arthur storming towards him. He nodded his head respectfully towards the prince. "Yes sire." He said.

"Don't 'yes sire' me!" the prince barked and Lancelot raised his eyebrows, startled by the blonde's anger.

"What's seems to be the matter, sire?" Lancelot asked.

"You damn well know what the matter is!" Arthur snarled and grabbed the front of the man's shirt, getting in his face and glaring.

"My lord." The brunette said calmly, staring intently at the irritable boy. "I'm afraid I don't know what the matter is."

"Aldwin."

With just that one word a look of realization came to Lancelot's face. "What has he done?"

Arthur growled, looking fiercely animalistic. "He has disappeared with my idiotic servant."

Lancelot clenched his jaw, feeling his own agitation fire up. "Did you see where?" He asked, surprised by the tense tone that escaped him.

"No." Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Lancelot nodded to him and they both began to search, looking around the castle for the two boys. It briefly crossed the man's mind that Arthur should be in the great hall, attending to the party but, he figured, he should be there as well. The party was in his honour. But, he supposed, love made one do strange things. If, indeed, love is what this was.

He glanced at the prince, marveling at the look of concentration and desperation that was fixed on the boy's face. He knew that the boys were destined for each other; he could sense it in everything they did. However, the boy would have to learn to control himself if he was ever to make king.

Lancelot looked around, stomach flipping as he kept his eye out for Aldwin. The boy, as fascinating and intoxicating and downright sexy as he was, was a complete pain in the ass. In the time span of a day he had made that very clear. Lancelot was inexplicably drawn to him though and was, despite not knowing him very well, desperate to claim the prince for his own.

"Do you hear that?" Arthur asked, freezing.

Lancelot listened carefully, hearing hushed voices coming from around the corner. Both males glanced at each other before quietly heading over. Lancelot's heart beat fast and a feeling of dread flitted through his torso.

They peeked around the corner and, sure enough, there was Aldwin and Merlin, whispering in the hallway. Lancelot and Arthur simultaneously stepped into the hallway, both ready to grab their respective interests and drag them off somewhere.

Both stepped forward and then froze. Coldness filled Lancelot's stomach, dribbling down his spine and flowing through his veins.

There, right before them, Merlin leaned into the other boy and pressed their lips together, pulling him into a kiss.

**A/N: I know, I know. Short chapter + Cliff hanger + Really long Author's Note = Not happy reviewers/readers. But it needed to be done. If it makes you guys feel better I wrote a one-shot story prize for dreaminGemini for being psychic and it's chock-full of Merthur naughtiness. It's called Dark Fantasy. Read it and don't be mad at me.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: If even ONE person lectures me on my use of the word 'ironic' bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, BAD things will happen. And believe me, I have my ways. **

**Sorry, I know that was scary. Anyway, the plot's coming together but the story sort of...wrote itself. And it seems to really want some more Aldwin/Merlin tension. Which is nice. I get really sick of stories where there is another love interest but it gets wrapped up all nice and clean with a 'You aren't my soulmate' moment. And the story seemed to be heading in that direction but that's not the kind of story I want to write. I want a lot of TENSION because that's more interesting.**

**Also, I didn't say this before but, you can't take this story too seriously. It's not a crack fic by any means but it's not To Kill a Mockingbird either. It's a fun story that does have drama and depth but you shouldn't expect everything to be really big and depressing and symbolic. I know I'm a little late in saying it but I've already got a few reviews where it seemed the reader was taking this story WAY too seriously. **

_**Chapter 20; 'Back in My Day…We thought with our brains, not our genitalia.' **_

_**Flashback Before the Feast:**_

_Merlin sighed as he laid next to Arthur, looking at the prince apprehensively. The blonde was laying stomach down on his bed, taking a small nap before they went to the feast. _

"_Arthur?" He asked, surprising himself with how hesitant his voice was considering their earlier activities. _

"_What, Merlin?" The prince mumbled from where his head pressed into his pillow. _

_The servant sighed and glanced around. It was amazing how out of place he felt, how tense he was. He'd been in this room a thousand times before but now he felt wrong, like he didn't belong amongst the prince and his things. "You never answered my question." He murmured. _

_The prince tensed beside him, body betraying his frustration. The room was quiet, silence echoing around his ears in an unnerving, deafening sort of way. _

"_Arthur-" He started._

"_Merlin, leave it." Arthur said, shifting slightly before settling back in his bed, not even looking at him. _

_Merlin looked up at the ceiling, a deep hollow feeling curving in his chest. A few seconds of silence passed before Merlin couldn't take anymore. "We should get ready for the feast." He muttered, moving to get out of the bed. He felt slightly disappointed when Arthur didn't stop him. _

"_Wake me before the feast." The prince slurred from the mattress. _

_Merlin sighed, shaking his head. "It is before the feast." He snapped and a protest sounded from behind him. _

_He eventually managed to get the prince up and cooperating. He'd dressed him quickly, feeling awkward as his fingers grazed across skin, and everything continued normally. Well, the prince continued normally, if not a little bit tense. _

"_You're being awfully quiet." Arthur said, looking at him. Concern hovered just under the surface but, without being expressed, it didn't make Merlin feel any better._

"_I suppose I'm just tired." He replied. He looked up and saw Arthur smirking at him. "Don't get cocky." He groused, concentrating on putting on the prince's jacket. _

_Arthur laughed and Merlin smiled, feeling a bit of the tension trickle away._

_**Flashback after the feast:**_

"_Aldwin…Aldwin!" Merlin protested from behind the prince, yanking his hand out of the boy's grasp and staring at him in unease. "You can't just…You can't just drag me off whenever you feel like it! I have things to do! I should be at the feast." He said irritably, looking at Aldwin and pouting. _

"_I'd think you'd be used to being manhandled by now." Aldwin said, a slight edge to his voice._

"_What?" Merlin asked, confused. Aldwin just frowned._

"_I'm talking about Arthur. Does he ever treat you like an equal?" He asked, walking closer to Merlin and staring down at him seriously. "Because every time I see you together he's ordering you around, calling you names, yanking you all over the place like an object. He's never once addressed you with even an ounce of respect." Aldwin's tone became frustrated, brows forming an angry line on his forehead. "He just takes what he wants with no regard to how you feel…" He trailed off, heaving a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. There was a long silence as Merlin stared up at him in surprise. "And so did I…" He muttered, looking up at Merlin guiltily. _

_It took a few seconds for Merlin to realize what he meant. His heart started to pound and he licked his lips, nervously. "Yes…" He finally acquiesced. "Yes, you did." _

"_Merlin, I'm so sorry." He said and Merlin stared at him. The boy looked so handsome, so genuine. "I care about you. For whatever reason, I care about you. I want you and I got so caught up in my own feelings that I didn't realize how it would make you feel." His voice sounded faint and he had a far a way look on his face. There was a slight pause before he shook his head and looked back at the brunette. "I love you." He said it quite suddenly and Merlin felt his stomach drop. Aldwin smiled at him, no expectation, no obligation written on his face. _

_Merlin felt weird. How could this boy say it so casually? _

_Merlin's heart beat even louder in his chest, ricocheting around. He felt his stomach broil and his breath come faster. There was something about Aldwin. Something so real and honest that, despite his actions, made Merlin feel…confused. _

_Honestly, he was so unsure lately. Everything had become weird. Nothing in Camelot made sense at all and he was beginning to feel claustrophobic, stuck, and incredibly stressed. He didn't feel like himself anymore and everything with Arthur felt wrong. _

_As the thought crossed him he realized, with a slight sense of shame, that he hadn't defended Arthur at all. Something he'd always done automatically in the past. _

_But, as he thought about it, Merlin found that Aldwin's words were correct. Arthur did treat him that way. And part of Merlin wanted to defend Arthur, to say that the boy didn't know how else to treat him and was, at heart, a good man. After all, the prince was kind, and fair, and would make a fantastic king. But Merlin found that his own self respect wouldn't allow him to. _

_Merlin wasn't used to hierarchy. He'd grown up in a small village where everyone knew each other and he'd never had to bow to anyone. They all grew as a community and lived as a community. Coming to Camelot had been a foreign enough experience but here he was, allowing himself to be treated in such a way by Arthur. It wasn't natural for him._

"_Still, I behaved like a boor." Aldwin mused. There were several seconds of silence as Merlin stared at him, chest tight. "I'll make it up to you. Come to Cornwall with me." Aldwin suddenly suggested, looking at him hopefully. _

"_What?"_

"_Not romantically." He quickly stated at Merlin's look. "Just…you could be so much happier there. It wouldn't be all this," He gestured around the hall, "craziness. You could have whatever life you wanted." _

_Merlin stared at him in awe and for a moment he got caught up in it. He could picture living on his own merit. He would live in a cabin, his own simple cabin, where he would provide for himself and the breakfast he fetched would be his and the clothes he cleaned would be his and he'd be able to do magic that, while he still had to hide it, could be used freely in his own home._

_He looked at Aldwin and saw all the acceptance, all the possibility, all the respect in the other boys eyes. He felt his heart pound faster, felt his brain turn to goo. _

_But, he realized with a sinking feeling, there was still Arthur. And there were still his duties. He felt torn, and confused._

"_At least think about it." Aldwin said kindly and Merlin felt himself nod. Aldwin smiled gratefully at him and, as they stared at each other, Merlin felt a sudden urge come over him. It was possibly an act of rebellion, possibly an act of spontaneity, and possibly an act of something deeper. However, whatever the motivation, Merlin leaned forward and pressed their lips together. _

_**End Flashback:**_

Merlin felt a little flutter go through him as Aldwin and he kissed. It was a warm contact, gentle and comforting. He twined his fingers in the boy's hair and felt Aldwin do the same, both of them pressing into each other almost desperately. It was nice. It was soft. It was so utterly different from the stress he'd experienced the past week. Ironic considering Aldwin was the source of most of the chaos.

"What do you think you're doing?" Merlin jumped and both boys broke apart, staring in shock as an _extremely angry _Arthur stormed down the hallway, looking almost homicidal. Lancelot followed behind, looking mildly irritated. However, Merlin knew not to look for anger in Lancelot's expression but in his actions. And judging by how he made no effort to stop Arthur or calm Arthur down…he was furious. And dangerously so.

"Aldwin." Lancelot snarled.

Merlin felt ice flow through his bones, pure terror filling him at the sound of that voice. He'd never heard Lancelot sound so angry. Merlin was thankful that he wasn't the one on the end of that look. He'd much rather deal with an angry Arthur and one glance at Aldwin reaffirmed his relief.

Aldwin looked petrified. And then…he smirked.

Merlin internally groaned. He recognized that look, and it spelled trouble.

"What's wrong Lancey-poo? Did you think you'd scare me away with your 'Big Bad Wolf act?'" He asked and Merlin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I want Merlin. I like Merlin. I care about Merlin." He said openly, wrapping an arm around the brunette.

Merlin felt tiny little thrills go through his stomach at the statement. He glanced over at Arthur.

"Too bad." Arthur snapped. "You lost the duel."

"Oh, please." Aldwin sneered. "Did you really think I would keep my promise?"

Everyone gaped at Aldwin.

"B-but…" Arthur actually stuttered, something Merlin had never seen before. Ever.

"It wasn't a knight's agreement. Of course I wasn't bound to honour it. Really Arthur, no wonder you want to keep Merlin around. He's essentially your brain." Aldwin stated this so matter of factly that it took Merlin a few seconds to process. Merlin stared at Aldwin in absolute horror. Really, the other boy was just begging for trouble.

"Aldwin." Lancelot repeated this in a warning tone.

"What?" This time Aldwin sounded genuinely irritated.

Lancelot approached him. Aldwin squeezed Merlin a bit tighter and the servant could swear that the boy shook just a little. Lancelot stopped in front of the prince, looking deep into the boy's eyes. "This is not the behavior befitting a prince."

Merlin stared at Lancelot in exasperation. Behavior befitting a prince? Had he met Arthur?

"A prince should behave justly and with honour." Obviously not. "If you are ever to lead Cornwall you must follow your morals." Lancelot finished. Aldwin stared at him incredulously before he began to laugh.

It started as a light chuckle that erupted into a musical twinkle ripping from his mouth. It really was quite nice to listen too and Merlin blushed. When had he become infatuated with Aldwin?

Aldwin's hold on him was broken as the prince hunched over now, the bright sound pouring from between his lips. Merlin found himself smiling just a little, quite enamored with the sight before him.

"Merlin, would you kindly tell me what is going on?" Arthur growled, wiping the smile right off Merlin's face.

"I…um…" He stuttered nervously, feeling waves of aggravation shooting through him. He really needed a break from all the…well, to quote Aldwin, craziness.

"I can't believe you." Arthur said and the betrayal in his voice was wounding. Merlin flinched, having trouble maintaining eye contact. "You'll do it with anyone, won't you?"

Merlin looked up sharply now, anger coursing through him.

"Arthur." Lancelot turned his attention from Aldwin, talking to Arthur cautiously. "He's just trying to figure everything out." He said, shooting Merlin a kind look.

Arthur just stared at him, looking almost wounded. Merlin matched is look with frustration. The feeling was tense and uncomfortable.

"By the way," Aldwin suddenly spoke up. "Has anyone seen my sister?"

Everyone turned to him incredulously.

"What?" Lancelot asked.

"I haven't seen her in a few days." He stated, seemingly ignoring the uncomfortable situation. That or not caring.

"And you didn't think to mention this sooner?" Lancelot asked.

Aldwin just shrugged, though he looked slightly sheepish.

Merlin shook his head and walked down the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked from behind him.

"Gaius'." He snarled, not bothering to look at anybody.

**Line Break:**

Gaius heaved a heavy sigh and stared at the boys before him.

"Have you asked Morgana?" He asked wearily. Merlin and Arthur averted eye contact. "What is it now?" He growled.

"I haven't…actually seen Morgana...all day." Merlin admitted hesitantly.

"Me neither." Arthur echoed.

"And you two?" Gaius asked Lancelot and Aldwin. Both boys shook their head. There were several seconds of silence. "What is wrong with you four?" He exclaimed and all of them jumped, looking at him fearfully. "Gwen, Rowan, and now Morgana have gone missing and all of you…" He shook his head and threw his hands into the air. "Back in my day," He said, waving his finger at them. "We thought with our brains, not our genitalia."

All the boys blushed except for Aldwin, who chuckled. Gaius let out a big breath.

"I suppose we'll have to tell Uther." He said. He was met with a collective look of horror. "About Gwen, Rowan, and Morgana." He sneered. There was a sigh of relief. "In the morning, right now I need to sleep. As do you." He was met with obedient nods. "Young people these days." He muttered.

**A/N: I refrained from having Aldwin and Merlin do it...I really truly did. **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Well, I was slacking off, not working on this, and then New Tricks came on and, go figure, the episode was about a magician and one of the primary characters went by the code name 'Merlin.' Okay Universe, I can take a hint. **

**Also, I got some reviews (okay one) where people told me to relax and Perv out, so I'm going to. That's it people, no holding back! Well, okay, I'll still have to hold back because the plot and stuff but I will put in as much smut as I can…**

_**Chapter 21; 'Back in My Day…er…um…SEX!'**_

The moon hung high in the sky, flowing through windows and piercing the darkness of the castle. Even so, it was still quite difficult to see and Aldwin had to squint his eyes.

The whole place was rather spooky at night, Aldwin's steps the only thing breaking the heavy silence as they echoed across the stone. He felt uneasy.

What he was doing was stupid, he was well aware of that. He didn't know the castle, he wasn't familiar with the area, and he was all by his self. All of which spelled trouble. But he just couldn't wait till the morning; he needed to find his sister.

Aldwin moved across the castle slowly, overly conscious of his movements. It wasn't until he was out of the castle that he relaxed. Looking back at the building he chuckled. The security was so lax.

"Where are you going?" A voice whispered in his ear and he shivered.

"W-what?" He stuttered, too petrified to turn around. Lancelot had this effect on him that drove him nuts. Everything seemed to fade out and his mind went blank, having trouble focusing on anything but the man behind him. He shook his head to clear it. He needed Merlin. "What?" He asked voice more stable than the first time.

"I asked you where you were going." Lancelot whispered, closer this time. The man spun him around and Aldwin let out a squeak. Lancelot gripped his arms and stared deep into Aldwin's eyes. The prince's heart beat loudly and he felt a blush come to his face. Licking his lips nervously he turned his head.

"How do you know I'm going anywhere? Maybe I'm just going for a walk." He said, trying to ignore the affects of the other man. _'Come on, Aldwin. Why are you nervous? It's not like he's going to do anything.' _He told himself in his head and felt himself relax just a little. He looked over at Lancelot and felt all the tension come back.

"You're lying, Aldwin." Lancelot smirked, leaning in all too close for the prince's comfort.

"How'd you find me anyway?" The blonde suddenly asked, trying to distract the brunette from whatever he was trying to do.

"I followed you." The brunette stated casually.

Aldwin stared at him in disbelief.

"You followed me…" He repeated quietly. "What is wrong with you?" He shouted, struggling in the man's grip. "Let go of me!" He demanded, turning in Lancelot's grasp. The brunette's arms squeezed around his waist and he let out a whine of protest, trying in vain to get out of the other male's hold.

"Relax." Lancelot hissed in his ear and the prince shivered.

"No!" The blonde said incredulously. "Leave me alone!" He continued to thrash about unsuccessfully. A hand came up to his mouth, covering it to keep him quiet. Aldwin writhed harder, remembering what happened the last time Lancelot covered his mouth like that.

"Aldwin." Lancelot said warningly; hand on his waist squeezing just a little bit tighter. Aldwin froze at the tone, trembling as the warm breath hit his skin. "I beat you once before, I can do it again." The brunette whispered, referring to their duel.

There were a few seconds of silence before the prince nodded. The hand on his mouth moved away but Lancelot didn't relinquish his hold.

"What do you want?" Aldwin bit out, irritated and confused. He really, really needed Merlin. The servant was calm, comfortable. It was nice. Lancelot was just…_maddening. _

"First, where are you going?" The man repeated.

"For a walk." Aldwin stated. He felt the body behind him vibrate and a low chuckle came next to his ear.

"You really are stubborn." Lancelot said and then lips brushed along Aldwin's ear, lightly moving downward and leaving a trail of warm kisses along flesh.

"What are you doing?" He stammered.

"Going for a walk." Lancelot replied cheekily.

Aldwin gaped and turned to look at the man behind him in surprise. "Don't be a smart arse." He protested and Lancelot just smirked.

"Then don't lie to me." The brunette replied.

"I'm not lying."

Lancelot smiled evilly, staring at Aldwin with a look that made the prince's stomach flip. "Neither am I." The man droned.

Suddenly Aldwin was dragged out of the citadel and into the forest. "Where are you taking me?" The prince demanded.

"For a walk."

Aldwin yanked on the man's hold and Lancelot turned around swiftly. The brunette backed Aldwin up and the prince stumbled over several roots before his back found its way against rough bark. He glanced back and realized he was pinned to a tree.

"Lance-" He began to ask, turning back to the other man but something pressed against his mouth, interrupting him. "Mmph!" He protested. As the warmth seeped into his lips his eyes widened. Lancelot was kissing him. Lancelot was _kissing _him.

He reached his hands up, pushing against the brunette's chest. The man pressed back more insistently, tongue sneaking out to rub along Aldwin's lips. The prince clenched his jaw, struggling to keep his mouth closed against the sensation. Lancelot, however, would have none of that.

The knight's hand reached up, finger pressing into his jaw and making him open his mouth. The tongue roughly invaded him, massaging along his lips and mouth. Aldwin's eyes squeezed shut and his brows furrowed. His fingers twined into the brunette's shirt as the man pressed against him roughly, kissing him with a fiery passion. Finger's twined in the blonde's hair, pulling him closer into the connection. A moan escaped him and he shook, feeling the tree rub roughly against his back and the warmth pressed firmly against his front.

It was warm and sinfully erotic. The feel of the man's tongue tangling with his own sent heat flooding through his face and chest, spiraling down his spine and coming to pool in his groin. Small sounds escaped him, tiny little whimpers of pleasure. He found himself pressing into the kiss, responding in kind as Lancelot massaged his mouth.

Aldwin breathed roughly, little gasps escaping him as the kiss continued, warm and hot and unbelievably intoxicating. Then, all too quickly, Lancelot broke away. Aldwin held back his disappointed groan, instead opting to look up at the brunette in shock.

"Now, where were you going?" Lancelot asked gently, stroking Aldwin's cheek kindly.

"I-um." Aldwin stuttered, brain too foggy to come up with an excuse. "F-for a walk." He finally said, opting to stick with his earlier excuse. Anything else would be an admittance of his lie.

"Hmm." Lancelot let out a satisfied sound and leaned back in, pressing his mouth to Aldwin's neck.

"Why are you…" He began, trailing off with a gasp when something warm and wet ran along his neck. It was a simple touch but it was absolutely knee buckling. "Stop." He gasped out, trying to maintain what little sense of mind he had. "Please…" He begged pushing against the other man. Lancelot just responded with a hum, sending little vibrations up and down his neck.

**Line Break:**

Merlin held his breath, sneaking past Gaius' sleeping form. His heart pounded in his chest as he left the residence, shooting a regretful look back at the older man. Every time he left the castle he felt just a little guiltier, knowing how much worry and stress he caused the physician. Shutting the door behind him he focused his thoughts on Gwen and Morgana.

Tip toeing through the hallway he kept his ears peeled, ignoring the sound of his feet echoing off the stone and instead straining to hear a voice or another presence in the building. The whole place was oddly silent.

Practically an expert by now he managed to leave the castle without incident, though he still felt the familiar adrenaline rush spark through him. He shot a look back at the stone structure.

'_I'm sorry Arthur.' _

He thought quickly before hurrying out of the citadel. He stepped quietly through the trees, letting out a hiss as he heard a twig snap. He looked down, lifting his foot over the branches and setting it down on a small patch of ground. Lifting his other foot he heard another snap of twigs and furrowed his brows. He couldn't feel any sticks under his foot and had made sure to step in an area absent of anything but dirt so…

Merlin looked around quickly. He couldn't see anyone near him. Tilting his head he listened carefully.

"_Stop."_ It was a voice, breathy and desperate yet somehow familiar.

Merlin licked his lips, moving around quietly and listening for another sound.

"_Please…" _

Merlin froze as the voice came closer. He moved around a tree, peaking behind it and spotting something that made his blood boil.

Lancelot had Aldwin pinned to a tree.

Merlin blushed furiously, about to back away when Aldwin let out a moan. Merlin shivered as the sound permeated his brain, sending sparks up and down his spine.

**Line Break:**

Aldwin let out a sigh of relief when Lancelot finally broke away from his neck. But the relief was short lived when something, Lancelot's finger, rubbed along his erection.

"Oh." He gasped, hand wrapping around Lancelot's fore arm and squeezing.

"Where were you going?" Lancelot's voice was less insistent, almost like he didn't want Aldwin to answer the question.

The prince shook his head. "Can't…oh." Lancelot gripped his erection firmly, rubbing the appendage through Aldwin's pants. 'Tell you…" Aldwin continued, eyes slipping shut and a whimper slipping past his lips.

Suddenly, the hand was removed and Aldwin's eyes peaked open, going wide when he spotted Lancelot kneeling before him.

"You're not going to?" Aldwin said, unable to finish his question. He started to move away but Lancelot held his hips in place, smirking up at him.

"Where were you going?" Lancelot asked again and Aldwin trembled.

If he didn't tell the man then he would, well…Aldwin blushed, coughing awkwardly. And if he did tell the man then Lancelot might drag him back to the castle or tell somebody. And Aldwin's father would never let him go off in search of Rowan. Bayard tended to be over protective.

"I can't tell you." Aldwin reluctantly replied through clenched teeth. Lancelot smiled, hands moving to the front of the princes trousers. The blonde shook his head, staring down in apprehension as tan fingers deftly undid his breeches.

Aldwin's knees trembled and he sunk to the ground, his last defense against the knight. Lancelot just smiled and followed him, slowly pulling his pants away and freeing Aldwin's erection.

The blonde bit his lip, completely frozen as his member came free, completely exposed for Lancelot's gaze. His chest felt tight and he stared at Lancelot.

"You really are beautiful." The knight stated and Aldwin blushed, staring at him in surprise.

"W-what?" He stuttered and lips pressed against his own. It was a quick kiss, kind and chaste, but it still sent warm tingles through him. And then, the brunette broke away, leaning between his legs.

Aldwin took a sharp intake of breath. Lancelot's tongue licked the head of his cock and everything in Aldwin's brain went blank. Lancelot held his hips firmly and his lips wrapped around the prince's erection.

Aldwin trembled as Lancelot's tongue rubbed along a vein at the bottom and Aldwin couldn't take anymore. His hands threaded into the brunette's hair as the knight bobbed up and down, moist heat enveloping his cock.

"Oh…" He groaned, arching back against the tree as sparks of pleasure danced along his veins.

He tried to buck his hips into the source of his pleasure but Lancelot held him firm, preventing any movement. Ragged breaths ripped through Aldwin's chest and he let out a moan, abdomen pulling tight as the sensations danced through him. Aldwin's thighs trembled and sweat dripped down his body as Lancelot licked and sucked. Suddenly a little nibble was placed on the head of Aldwin's erection and his toes curled.

"Lancelot!" He cried out, arching desperately and twisting his fingers in Lancelot's locks. Lancelot seemed to know all his sensitive spots, licking along a vein, massaging the tip, and sucking at the bottom. Aldwin jolted, desperate cries falling from between his lips.

And then, Lancelot broke away.

Aldwin let out a disappointed moan, looking at Lancelot hazily.

**Line Break:**

Arthur snuck past Gaius hesitantly, opening the door with a slow creak.

"Merlin." He hissed, stepping towards the bed. "Wake up." He ordered, stepping up to the mattress only to realize it was empty. "Damn servant." He growled, tip toeing out of the room and passed Gaius. He froze when there was a slight creak. Gaius let out a groan and Arthur looked at him in fear.

Glancing at Gaius he let out a sigh of relief when the physician settled back into the bed.

"Stupid Merlin." He grumbled, walking towards the door and hurrying out of the room.

He exited the castle quickly, keeping his eyes peeled for Merlin. He was disappointed when he spot not hide nor hair of the brunette. Feeling a wave of frustration course through him he exited the citadel, walking into the woods.

He stepped between the trees, freezing when a sound drifted to him. He walked towards it slowly, hearing the noises rise higher and higher. Peaking behind a tree he froze at the image before him.

Lancelot had his mouth wrapped around Aldwin's erection. And then, he pulled away. Arthur watched frozen in shock at the two males before him.

**Line Break:**

"Where were you going?" Lancelot asked again.

Aldwin furrowed his brows in confusion before clarity came to him. He gaped at the other boy.

"Seriously?" He asked incredulously.

Lancelot shot him a cheeky smile before he pulled Aldwin away from the tree, laying him down on the dirt.

"What are you doing?" Aldwin was back to stuttering again, staring up at the brunette in confusion.

Lancelot laid down on top of him and Aldwin whimpered when their erections pressed together.

"Why do you want to know where I'm going so badly?" Aldwin whispered between half lidded eyes.

Lancelot looked down, staring at him intently. Silence permeated the atmosphere before Lancelot's voice came out, sweet and kind, with an answer that took Aldwin's breath away.

"Because I want to go with you." He whispered before pressing his lips to Aldwin's.

The kiss was gentle, soft this time. Lancelot slowly massaged Aldwin's mouth with his own, nibbling along the lips and licking. Aldwin gasped and their tongues tangled together, rubbing along each other and twining together. Aldwin's fingers flexed in the dirt, wanting to thread through Lancelot's hair and pull him closer. But he refrained, still desperately unsure about the whole situation.

He gasped, breaking away from the kiss when Lancelot wrapped a hand around Aldwin's erection, stroking up and down. Aldwin moaned, hips rocking into the sensation. His legs spread wider, seeking more of the sensation that Lancelot was giving him. That small action seemed to be all the man was waiting for. Lancelot removed his hand, placing his legs between Aldwin's legs to keep them spread.

"What?" Aldwin asked. He was starting to get really sick of that question. But he always seemed to ask it around Lancelot. The man had a way of making him desperately confused. He really needed Merlin.

He looked up at Lancelot and found that all the sweetness had disappeared from the man's face. Smirking, the brunette pulled out a jar and Aldwin's breathe hitched.

"No…" He muttered, shaking his head.

**Line Break:**

"_No…"_

Merlin stared in shock before nodding his head decisively. Taking a deep, preparatory breath he moved to step forward. But, something stopped him. He found that he was frozen to the spot, unable to move as he watched the scene unfold before him.

He glanced down quickly, blushing when he noticed the tent in his trousers. Somehow, the view of Aldwin lying in such a vulnerable position, groaning as he was pleasured, had made him aroused. He found that Aldwin's moans, however reluctant, were incredibly erotic, and the view of Aldwin arching in a state of undress had sent a great deal of pleasure coursing through his veins.

**Line Break:**

Arthur stared in surprise, seeing a different side of Lancelot than he ever had before. He found himself looking at the brunette in a way that he would never have contemplated. He shifted uncomfortably at the pressure in his loins but found that he couldn't look or walk away from the scene before him.

**Line Break:**

Lancelot opened the jar slowly, shooting Aldwin a devilish look as he dipped his fingers into the oil.

"Okay, fine." Aldwin finally shouted, slightly panicked. Lancelot paused his actions looking at him in interest. "I'll tell you where I was going." He finally offered and the man thought for a second before nodding. Aldwin took a deep breath. "I snuck out to find my sister." He finally admitted and Lancelot stared at him for a few seconds before smirking.

"I know." He finally said before removing oil slicked fingers from the phial in his hand. Aldwin waited hopefully but nothing happened. And then Lancelot leaned down, bringing his fingers to Aldwin's backside.

"Wait, I thought…" Aldwin muttered, confused.

"Like I said, I want to go with you." Lancelot whispered, smirking at Aldwin's confused look.

Aldwin was going to ask what the man meant but was quickly distracted by the finger pressing against his entrance. The prince trembled as the appendage was pushed past his ring of muscle, slipping inside slowly and tauntingly. "Relax." Lancelot uttered in his ear, pressing light kisses to his neck. Aldwin glared at the brunette before he clenched his eyes shut and arched his head back. He sucked in little breathes as the finger moved in and out, quickly followed by another.

Aldwin's fingernails pressed into the dirt as the appendages moved inside of him, dragging slowly along his insides and sending little sparks through him.

"Why are you-Oh." Aldwin jolted when the fingers pressed, pushing deep inside him and lightly brushing his prostate. He shuddered, legs spreading wider at the sensation. Lancelot let out a small satisfied sound and thrust again, this time hitting Aldwin's prostate firmly and confidently. Aldwin let out a long moan, arching upward as intense pleasure shot through him. Lancelot added a third finger and Aldwin clenched, gasping when that increased the sensation of fullness. Lancelot didn't even flinch at the tightening muscles, pushing past them and thrusting forward, hitting that spot inside Aldwin without hesitation.

The prince's muscles trembled, feeling like they were on fire as desire filled him. His hips rocked forward of their own accord, seeking the sensation. Delight coiled in his stomach, pulling him tight and making everything but Lancelot disappear.

"Lancelot." He gasped out and the fingers were removed. He peered his eyes open and all his breathe escaped him.

Lancelot kneeled above him, looking at him hungrily and with some other emotion that Aldwin couldn't quite identify. The man gripped the edge of the prince's pants and Aldwin felt the material, which had been wrapped loosely around his thighs, descend slowly. The fabric tickled his calves, coming over his shoes, before being pulled off completely.

Aldwin watched in hazy anticipation as the brunette came back up, hands moving to his own trousers and quickly undoing them. The blonde's eyes strayed downwards and he gasped, staring at Lancelot's erection. His breathe came quicker as the man's fingers dipped into the oil once again, wiping it along his cock.

"Oh." Aldwin gasped, finding himself oddly aroused by the sight. He bit his lip, eyes coming up to meet Lancelot's and he shivered when he found the hooded brown eyes staring into his own.

Lancelot let out a small hiss as he coated his penis in lubricant. Aldwin's stomach fluttered at the sound and he bit back a groan, waiting tensely for the man's next actions.

It felt like an eternity, both males staring at each other. Time ticked by slowly and Aldwin felt like he was suffocating. Finally, Lancelot came forward, laying down on top of Aldwin and pressing between his legs. He pushed forward, against Aldwin's entrance, and slowly began to move, pushing his erection inside of the prince.

It was slow, burning at first. The blonde boy's jaw clenched as he tried to relax. He felt Lancelot's erection dragging inside of him, moving forward ever so slowly. And then, he stopped. Aldwin looked up at him and realized with a little thrill that the tan male was all the way inside of him. Lancelot looked at him, silently asking permission. Aldwin hesitated before nodding his head, gasping when the man began to pull out sluggishly.

Aldwin's fingers dug into the dirt as he was thrust into gently. The burning began to morph into lazy pleasure, tiny sparks coiling in his stomach. He let out a shuddery breath, legs spreading wider as the sensations increased.

Lancelot's erection dragged inside him slowly, moving forward and pushing against his prostate. Aldwin's hips moved forward and he began to feel a needy desperation fill him. He wanted more, he needed more. He bucked his hips and let out a frustrated groan, trying to hint at Lancelot to move faster.

The man let out a breathy chuckle in his ear and Aldwin shivered.

"If you want more you're going to have to ask…_politely._" Lancelot sneered and Aldwin growled in frustration.

"I'm not going to-Ah!" Aldwin arched and cried out when Lancelot gave a particularly violent thrust. Sparks danced in front of his eyes and his whole body tingled. Lancelot stopped completely, stilling with his cock pressed against the prince's prostate. "Oh god." Aldwin groaned, looking at the man lustfully. "Please Lancelot…" He stuttered, hesitantly. Lancelot just stared at him in expectation. "Please." He finally moaned in need. "Please Lancelot, just…move." He bucked his hips to make his point. He was only met with silence. "What do you want me to say?" He finally groaned in frustration.

The brunette smirked. "I want you to nicely ask me to fuck you." Aldwin whimpered at the man's tone, the words sending shivers up his spine.

"Please, Lancelot. Please fuck me." He groaned, eyes squeezing shut in embarrassment. He was met with a pleased groan and then Lancelot's hands came up to wrap around his shoulder blades. Lancelot pulled out and then thrust in roughly, causing Aldwin's whole body to jolt with the force of it. The prince cried out and wrapped his legs around the man's waist, pulling him closer with each movement.

Lancelot thrust in forcefully, hitting Aldwin's prostate each time. Aldwin groaned as heat gripped him, spiraling through his body as his hips rocked, feeling intense waves of pleasure flash through him with each thrust, deep and fast and overwhelming.

"Lancelot, oh god!" He cried out, arching into the knight's body as he was slammed into.

The ground scraped roughly against his back and his hips bucked up, body shaking desperately as he was rammed into violently. Sweat dribbled down his body and he moaned, uncontrollable sounds slipping past his open mouth.

The feel of Lancelot against him sent waves of warmth he couldn't quite understand coursing through his veins. The man gasped and groaned against his ear and Aldwin's thighs tightened around the male, hips arching up to meet each thrust. Lancelot's tongue swooped out, licking along Aldwin's neck and the prince groaned, head falling back in submission.

"Yes." Lancelot hissed, nibbling along the flesh.

Aldwin whimpered, toes curling in pleasure with each thrust. His fingers gripped at the ground as he hopelessly tried to hold onto some form of coherency. Dizzying, delirious pleasure coursed through him, sending all thought, all reality from his mind until he could only focus on Lancelot.

One of Lancelot's hands moved from Aldwin's back to his erection, wrapping around it and stroking. Aldwin tensed and he struggled to breath, overwhelming sensations wracking his body. He moved his hands up, gripping at Lancelot and holding the man to him.

Each thrust pushed Aldwin's hips upwards and into the hand gripping his cock, sending an onslaught of pleasure through him. His whole body was tense with need, sweat coating every muscle as he felt himself pulled taut with intensity.

A sobbing moan ripped through him as he was pushed to the edge over and over again.

Lancelot leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Aldwin's hands came up, holding the brunette to him as their lips entwined, desperate moans filtering from his mouth into Lancelot's. Aldwin licked along Lancelot's lips before twining their tongues together, groaning in delight as the man reciprocated.

Aldwin gyrated his hips erratically, feeling the sensation build inside of him to unimaginable heights. Aldwin's whole body shook and he felt like he was going insane, the sensations growing until finally he froze, orgasm bursting from him in a tidal wave.

He fell back into the ground, body tensing as he cried out, ejaculation on his and Lancelot's stomach.

Lancelot followed soon after, crying out Aldwin's name as he came.

**A/N: Naughty, Naughty, Naughty, Naughty, Naughty! Yay! (cough) Right, so I didn't actually **_**edit **_**um…sorry, I got lazy. Plus I really wanted to post this. Hope it didn't turn out too bad but…er….um…SEX!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Guys, it's getting dark. No, not outside, I mean the story. It's getting sort of dark. So…my bad. But not drama dark, just dark dark. Also, I felt like Merlin needed some time off, so he might be traveling alone for the next few chapters. Poor little Merly-poo. Also, I'm sick so…well, I just said that for sympathy. Plus, it might affect how quickly I update. Actually I lie, it did affect how quickly I updated, so…sorry about that. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

_**Chapter 22: 'Back in my day…being naughty was a bad thing.'**_

Morgana blinked hazily, looking around her in confusion. Something was wrong. She wasn't sure why but the air felt thick, heavy with tension. She rose slowly up into a seated position, finding herself all alone in the clearing of the forest. The horse had disappeared and the area was still.

**Line Break:**

Lancelot felt exhilaration sweep through his veins as he stared at the boy below him, beautiful and shimmering in a need that Lancelot had felt the moment he saw him.

The prince was, to put it simply, gorgeous. As stubborn and arrogant as he was, Aldwin oozed beauty. And it had Lancelot completely entranced.

His eyes raked over the form, noting every blonde hair, every shiver, every small movement of muscle. He looked deep into the prince's eyes and felt a heavy longing circle in his stomach.

Green eyes, half lidded, stared up at him in need, anticipation, and just a hint of lust. Lancelot shuddered and lay down on the boy. He felt the warm flesh beneath him, the intake of breath that pressed their chests together. Lancelot was amazed how such a simple contact could give him so much pleasure.

Lancelot pushed forward, jaw clenching as his erection brushed against Aldwin's entrance. He could feel the muscles spasm lightly and grabbed one of Aldwin's hips, listening to the boy gasp as he pressed gently into the hole. Lancelot's eyes clenched shut as the muscles gripped at him, heat swirling around the head of his cock in an intoxicating fashion. Lancelot wanted to thrust forward, deep into the heat, but refrained, self control wearing thin but still intact.

Trembling slightly he continued to move into Aldwin, gasping at the growing sensation. He heard Aldwin let out a groan and stilled, peering his eyes open to look at the boy's face.

Aldwin's jaw was clenched shut, his brows furrowed in a way that sent thrills up Lancelot's spine and eyes lidded in a way that made him want to slam into him; to hear him cry out and moan, completely lost in pleasure; to hear him beg Lancelot to take him; to ask him to go faster and harder as he writhed and groaned in desperation. These thoughts flew through Lancelot's mind, making him quiver and challenging him to hold back. But he managed.

Lancelot needed to be gentle with Aldwin. He needed to show the blonde how he felt with his body.

Lancelot pressed in even more, stilling when Aldwin let out a slightly pained gasp. His fingers squeezed tighter and he hovered, just on the edge of breaking, as he was almost halfway in. Getting impatient his hip shook, pushing slightly. He tried to keep his mind on the prince, on how Aldwin would feel, but he felt his selfishness beginning to fill him, reminding him of the organ that tingled as muscles squeezed around him. Lancelot felt Aldwin clench and he gasped, pushing forward even more.

His toes flexed and impatience filled him. Lancelot, nearly completely inside, felt his last bit of self control crumble and thrust forward.

Lancelot gasped as the heat surrounded him, quivering around his sensitive flesh and sending tingles through his entire body. His arms shook slightly as he stilled, waiting for Aldwin to adjust. The sensation became almost painful and Lancelot bit back a groan.

He looked at the blonde questioningly, hoping the boy had acclimated to him. His heart thumped and his chest went tight as he looked at Aldwin. It was almost scary how beautiful the boy was.

The prince nodded slowly, submissively, and Lancelot, who'd been prepared to thrust forward quick and hard, smirked internally as a part of him he usually ignored reared its ugly head. He wanted Aldwin to beg. He would make Aldwin beg.

Lancelot started a slow pace, enjoying the way his cock dragged along the muscles. He listened as tiny whimpers started from below him, resounding around his ears in an enticingly erotic fashion. His fingers squeezed tighter into the prince's hip as he moved.

Lancelot was amazed at how _responsive _the boy was, even to the tiniest of touches. It sent sparks of pleasure through his veins and right down to his groin.

Lancelot groaned as he struggled to maintain a slow pace. Cock dragging against the other boy he stared as the prince hummed in delight, arching into him and moving his hips. It was maddeningly erotic and Lancelot felt like he could come from the sight alone. Not to mention the beautiful noises dripping from the boys lips. They filled Lancelot's head and captivated him, reminding him why he was moving at such a slow speed.

Aldwin let out a whimper as he bucked his hips. Lancelot chuckled darkly, knowing what the prince wanted.

"If you want more you're going to have to ask…_politely._" Lancelot sneered, taking satisfaction out the frustrated growl the prince emitted.

"I'm not going to" The boy started and Lancelot gave a particularly violent thrust. Lancelot held back a groan as the action cause immense amounts of pleasure to course through him, instead focusing on the boy below him. "Ah!" Aldwin cried out and arched beneath him, making Lancelot shiver. Lancelot ceased his actions and felt the blonde below him quake. He smirked, realizing that he'd stilled right on the boy's prostate. "Oh god." Aldwin groaned, looking up at him lustfully. "Please Lancelot…" He stuttered, hesitantly. Lancelot just stared at him in expectation. "Please." He finally moaned in need. "Please Lancelot, just…move." Lancelot felt him buck his hips but remained silence, knowing the boy would crack at any minute. "What do you want me to say?" He finally groaned in frustration, bringing a smirk to the brunettes face.

Lancelot refrained from laughing as he prepared for his next statement. "I want you to nicely ask me to fuck you." Aldwin whimpered below him and Lancelot almost forgot his goal as the sound only fueled his dark desire.

"Please, Lancelot. Please fuck me." Aldwin groaned, eyes squeezing shut in embarrassment. Lancelot let out a groan of his own, moving his hands hastily to the prince's shoulder blades and holding tight. He pulled out, feeling his cock scrape along the muscle as he did, and thrust back in roughly.

Lancelot thrust in deeply, growling at the feeling. The muscles gripped around him, tight and hot in a way that he couldn't quite comprehend. It was stronger, somehow so much more, than any other experience he'd had. Aldwin below him, around him, letting out just the tiniest of whimpers, excited him to an insurmountable degree.

He vaguely felt the prince's legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer, which only added to his pleasure. Everything about Aldwin so far had been intoxicating, and their current situation proved to be no exception.

The blonde boy let out beautiful moans and whimpers, he arched in a manner that drove Lancelot wild, and he moved in ways that Lancelot couldn't imagine being so pleasant. The brunette couldn't help the vague notion that he was spiraling into an abyss, but with Aldwin he didn't seem the mind.

He leaned his head down, nibbling along the blonde's neck. He felt the boys head arch back, exposing more of the flesh, and felt waves of satisfaction hit him. "Yes." He hissed, raving the neck more as he rammed into the boy.

The prince was responding favourably, moving with Lancelot. The feeling of him clenching around him, arching his hips up against him, made Lancelot's body temperature go up and his actions that much more desperate.

Wanting to drive Aldwin mad with pleasure he reached down, wrapping his hand around the prince's erection and stroking him along with his thrusts.

"Oh, god, Lancelot." The prince groaned, completely lost in the feelings.

Lancelot moaned, movements harsh at the sound of his name coming from the blonde's mouth, coated in a lust that captivated him. The brunette knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he'd developed an unhealthy longing for the boy and that now, after he'd had such an intimate taste of him, there was no turning back. It was dark and frightening in a way that nothing else could compare to, and Lancelot wasn't sure if he was capable of handling it. But, as Aldwin whimpered and cried out beneath him, he knew one thing was certain, there was no way he'd be able to let the prince go. Aldwin was his.

The blonde let out a sound, almost like a sob, and tensed, shaky breaths escaping him. Lancelot continued to touch the boy as he orgasmed, enjoying the way his sounds grew at the sensation. As the muscles spasmed around him, Lancelot felt his own orgasm take him. He let out a moan, spilling his seed inside of the prince.

**Line Break:**

As Aldwin and Lancelot lay on the ground, gasping in their afterglow, Arthur looked away, shame filling him as he realized what he'd just done. He couldn't believe he'd just watched two males have sex. Worse yet, one of those males was Aldwin. Meaning that, not only had he watched two males engage in sexual activity not on just one, but _two _occasions, but he'd watched Aldwin engage in sexual activity on two occasions. He was turning into a pervert.

Arthur clenched his jaw, walking away as quietly as he could.

**Line Break:**

Merlin yawned and moved away, shaking his head to wake himself up. He was surprised that, despite the situation he'd just witnessed, a wave of fatigue still hit him. Still, it didn't ease the anxiety swirling in his stomach.

The image of Aldwin arching in pleasure seemed to have seared itself into his brain, making his blood run hot and his face burn. Merlin bit his lip and furrowed his brows, trying to ban the through from his brain and focus on the task at hand.

Moving around the trees he walked forward, not quite sure where he was going but feeling something lead him there.

**Line Break:**

Aldwin laid on the ground, feeling the heaviness of the body on top of him. Everything felt hazy, hot, and sticky. Breathes came in and out of him quickly, desperately, and his chest pressed into Lancelot's with every gasp. Aldwin shivered slightly, staring at man in a fog as tingles and tiny aftershocks shook him. Lancelot looked just as disheveled as Aldwin felt, a light sheen of sweat covering the tan skin and his hair an intoxicating mess. Brown eyes came up to meet him and Aldwin felt a jolt in his stomach.

Feeling more awake he suddenly realized the situation and seethed. He began to push at the man on top of him.

"Aldwin?" Lancelot asked questioningly and Aldwin felt a shudder go through him at the man's voice.

"Get off me." He growled. He was slightly surprised when Lancelot actually listened to him. As he got off Aldwin felt a sense of relief and disappointment at the absence. "What the hell were you thinking?" He growled, straightening out his clothes and avoiding eye contact.

"Aldwin." Lancelot's voice sounded from beside him, kind and gentle. Aldwin clenched his jaw and stood up, stomping a few steps. "Sire."

The prince froze, turning to look at the brunette in bewilderment. Lancelot stood up, walking towards him slowly, almost as if he was trying not to frighten him. Aldwin swallowed roughly and narrowed his eyes, ready to dash away if necessary. Lancelot continued to come closer and Aldwin's breathe hitched and he faltered, feeling confused and anxious.

"I love you." The brunette said, voice dripping in honesty. He didn't even seem embarrassed about it. Bastard.

Aldwin stared at him incredulously, letting out an angry scoff before stomping away.

"Prat!" He called out; making sure the boy heard him.

**Several hours later:**

The wind blew, slightly chilly, and Merlin walked, sighing to himself as he went. His mind wandered vaguely, twining in an almost imperceptible way as he struggled to understand what was going on around him.

It was frustratingly complicated, when it shouldn't be. A part of him felt like the answer should be simple; after all, what did it boil down to: Arthur or Aldwin? The question was as simple as that. Except that it wasn't, because there was Lancelot, Gaius, Gwen, and Morgana, and that made things exponentially more complicated. There were so many elements to the whole situation that Merlin couldn't keep track anymore. He longed for the simplicity of home. Not Camelot, not Gaius, but his real home, with his mother and his friends. Everything was so much simpler in Ealdor. Even when things were difficult they were simple, and Merlin missed that.

Merlin took in a deep breathe and paused, taking in his surroundings. He was on a hill, somewhere on the outskirts of Camelot. It was green, sweeping and sloping in a grandiose manner. The sky hung above him, gray and heavy but altogether beautiful. Merlin closed his eyes and breathed, feeling the air around him and just standing still.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd just stood still and allowed time to pass, without worry or rush. As he stood there he began to wander about Cornwall.

In his mind it was a beautiful place, full of happiness and welcoming. A safe haven from the insanity that had invaded his life since Arthur. He would live there, working and providing for himself and, on the odd occasion, he would be permitted to while away the time doing whatever he wished. And, logically, he knew he wouldn't relax very often but even when he was busy working, the knowledge that he was doing so independently, that he was working to provide for himself and not out of servitude, made the task so much sweeter. And, maybe after a few years, he would return to Ealdor, a man of the world. And he'd have enough money to take care of his mother and live happily.

Merlin groaned and sat on the ground as frustration took him. He felt tears swelling in his eyes and lay down, staring up at the sky as angry droplets fell from his lids. He couldn't deny that these thoughts were pleasant, hopeful, but he also couldn't deny the impossibility. He began to feel so trapped as he thought of the Great Dragon, as he though of the fate that await Arthur and the role Merlin supposedly played in it.

He felt like all his energy was being drained from him and, although he had a journey ahead of him, he couldn't find the strength to care.

**A/N: Okay, dreaminGemini, work your magic and guess what's happening! Also, Everybody, please review, it keeps me going. And who knows you, like dreaminGemini, might get a prize fic out of it. **


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Right, so I know I said that Merlin needed some time alone for a few chapters but…I lied. I know, it's a terrible habit and I really should stop. Also, I just want to clear something up. A few chapters ago I told people not to take this story too seriously. I'll admit that was unfortunate phrasing on my part and I'm entirely to blame for any misunderstanding. What I meant by that was don't ask me how Gwen is still alive while she's stuck in a cave without water and food. I'm not prepared to answer questions that practical and logical. So, yes, take the story seriously, because it is serious. But…if I make little mistakes like I did with Gwen and her supposed magical survival, please don't get mad at me about it. But if I do what I did with the sword (which Tropic Thunder was nice enough to point out) you should totally let me know. That's all I meant by my note, so I'm sorry if I may have dismayed some of you and convinced people to quite reviewing. And, since I'm on it, I would like to remind everyone of the 'Blergh' system. Really, it doesn't take that much to review. I know, sometimes you are pressed for time or you're really not up for it, but I allow anonymous reviews and I can't tell you guys how much even the smallest reviews mean to me. Even if you just write Blergh it's fine. Or, include a quote you really liked, or let me know how you think Arthur and Merlin would react in a situation or situations you'd like to see them end up in. Because, as it is, I'm operating on my own interpretation of the characters and sometimes I get distracted. I'm trying to keep them in line with the show but, I'm not going to lie, it's really hard. **

**So, just to remind everyone, this story is something that I take seriously and I am actually putting quite a bit of work into it and I really do love all your reviews. They help more than you can possibly imagine. Just suggest some things, tell me about things you'd like to see in later chapters, tell me about your opinions of Merlin or Arthur and how they would react in certain situations. And if there is something I can do to get you more motivated as reviewers/readers let me know. **

**Well, wow, that was long. But it was important. Because I feel like we're having communication issues and some things needed to be said to reestablish a link way between my dimension and yours. **

**Live long and prosper!**

**Chapter 23: 'Back in my day…Sandwich was a civil parish in the area now known as Kent. Also, Kent was a food consisting of bread, peanut butter, jelly, and more bread. We were very ahead of our time. Did I tell you about Louis XIV's Birthday Party? It was on the moon.'**

Sunlight pushed bright and insistent against Gaius' eyelids, probing at his unconsciousness and luring him into reality. It was a slow, almost crawling procedure, as he came awake, though Gaius' didn't feel particularly pressed into moving faster, finding that the warmth and comfort of sleep had yet to leave him and he was quite happy to remain in bed. It was a peaceful place, far removed from the strains of everyday life. And Gaius, being an old man, avoided strain at all cost.

"Gaius!"

The old man groaned as the sound of a door slamming, accompanied by an impatient voice, spoiled the mood. He peered his eye open to see Uther stomping towards him, looking way too energized for this time of morning.

"Yes, sire?" He managed to mutter, fighting the urge to shut his eyes once again and return to sleep. Sweet, blissful sleep.

"Gaius!" Uther barked. The physician jumped and realized he'd closed his eyelids once again and had almost drifted off to sleep. The old man let out a little groan and wiped a hand over his face. He then glared up at the king, early morning irritation beginning to set in.

"What?" He asked, a tone of frustration in his voice that he would usually have held back, seeing as how the king was quick to punish people when he was in a good mood, so there was no telling what he'd do if already aggravated. Gaius was operating on the irrationality of fatigue, however, and was not at all prepared for the King's presence.

"Where is that idiotic servant?" The king snarled, face getting dangerously close to Gaius' and signaling danger. Were it not for his peril, Gaius would have laughed at how much the king reminded him of Arthur. However, despite his haziness, he thought better of it.

"Which one?" Gaius asked. Being in danger didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun and he couldn't deny the deep satisfaction he felt as the king's glare darkened.

"You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. Now where is he?" The king hissed.

"In his room, sire." Gaius answered reluctantly, concern beginning to take over. The king raced towards Merlin's room and Gaius got up hastily, rushing to follow the man. When he got to the door he found Uther standing in the room, looking around in fury and gripping the bed covers in his hand.

"Well, Gaius?" The king snapped. He looked wild, untamed in a frightening fashion. "Where is he?" The man punctuated his question by throwing the covers, which fell heavily to the floor. Gaius found his breath catching in his throat, an overwhelming level of tension and fear mounting inside of him. He felt cold, tight, surreal as the possibilities raced through his mind, one after another in a whirlwind so fast he couldn't focus on any of them, though he knew they all terrified him.

"Have you tried Arthur's chambers? Perhaps he's with the prince." Gaius said gently, as though trying to calm a child's tantrum. Actually, that's exactly what he was doing. However, as Uther immediately bristled at the question, Gaius had the distinct feeling that he'd crossed a line.

"Do you think me a moron?" The king growled. "Don't answer that." He said, interrupting Gaius before he could even say anything. "I have already been to Arthur's chambers and Merlin is not there. And, thanks to my visit here," He said, gesturing around the chambers. "I can safely assume that both that moronic servant _and _my son appear to be missing. Along with Prince Aldwin." Gaius stared in shock, realization hitting him roughly. He sighed, knowing that the four boys had done something phenomenally stupid. "You know something." Uther stated slowly, staring at the physician with furrowed brows.

"I'm afraid so, sire." The old man admitted reluctantly, knowing that everyone was about to be in extreme trouble. He could now confidently state that Merlin would be the death of him. And, when he looked up at the king and saw the expression of betrayal on his face, he felt that it may be sooner than he liked. "There seems to be a sorcerer in the kingdom." He finally admitted, feeling the heaviness of the confession weigh down on him, competing with his guilt in a suffocating wave.

"Again?" The king asked in exasperation. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He muttered, weariness seeming to come over him.

"I wasn't sure. Also, Gwen, Morgana, and Princess Rowan seem to have gone missing." The physician rushed the last part, almost hoping the king wouldn't hear.

"What?" The man yelled, almost deafening Gaius. "Why has no one told me?"

"Again, we weren't sure of the cause." Gaius' voice hit an octave he hadn't been able to since he was a prepubescent boy. The realization of all the information they'd been keeping from Uther along with how many events actually went unnoticed around the castle was overwhelmingly terrifying.

"Let me get this straight." The king said. "We have a sorcerer in the castle?" He stated his words slowly and precisely, looking at Gaius with wide eyes. "And, in the mean time, Morgana, her servant, and King Bayard's daughter have all gone missing?" Gaius nodded reluctantly. "And Arthur, the idiot," He gestured at Merlin's bed and Gaius internally winced. "And King Bayard's son have all traipsed off somewhere looking for them?"

"It would appear so sire, yes."

The king slouched, looking for all the world as though a heavy burden was pushing down onto him. The room was filled with a heavy silence as the king remained silent.

"Sire?" Gaius asked in concern.

"I need a nap." The king suddenly said, walking out of the room.

"But, sire…" Gaius started and the king brushed him off, walking over to the cot and laying down. "That's my bed." The physician stated quietly.

Uther didn't pay him any mind, settling nicely into the bed. A light snore began to reverberate around the room and Gaius looked around helplessly. Shrugging, he decided that Merlin's room was too far away and, not caring that there might be consequences later, laid down in the bed next to Uther. And if Uther didn't like it, it was his problem. After all, you should never steal an old man's cot.

**Line Break:**

"Merlin. Merlin!"

The brunette's eyes fluttered behind his lids, lashes flickering as a familiar voice permeated his consciousness. He felt groggy, limbs feeling heavily disconnected as he tried to break through the fog. Groaning, his eyelids pulled back just a sliver, allowing him to see a fraction of the world. And it was bright.

Merlin flinched as heat and light blinded him, scratching at his corneas and making his head hurt.

"Merlin, are you okay?"

The brunette brought a hand up, shielding his eyes as he struggled to identify the figure kneeling beside him. Blonde hair, strong jaw, an unmistakably warm aura, and bright, heart wrenchingly beautiful eyes.

"Aldwin?" He croaked, voice crackling as it shredded through his throat. He coughed, clearing the sleep from his vocal cords.

"What happened?" Now that he wasn't in such a fog Merlin could clearly hear the concern layered in Aldwin's voice. He started to sit up, Aldwin's arms quickly wrapping around his torso to support him. Merlin blushed, feeling a burning sensation drip through his chest at such close proximity. He looked up at Aldwin, almost shyly, and found himself pulled into an intense gaze. As seconds passed he was unable, for the life of him, to pull his eyes away, caught up in the intoxicating stare.

"I'm fine." He muttered, almost a whisper. As the words escaped him he realized how close they were, mere centimeters apart. His eyes finally fell from Aldwin's to look down at the pair of lips set temptingly close to his.

Merlin's brows furrowed as he wondered where the thought had come from. He felt the confusion that had recently left him fall back into place, feeling somehow bigger and more burdenous than it had before. Merlin tore his eyes from Aldwin's lips, looking at his face and feeling his heart thump at the boy's expression.

It was hard to explain in its manner, but it hovered somewhere between happiness and concern. It was, for lack of a better word, penetrating.

Merlin felt frozen, petrified, and oddly content in the boy's presence. Yet he couldn't deny the slight layer of guilt that tainted every meeting.

"My offer still stands, you know." Aldwin stated, voice quiet yet firm.

"What?" Merlin asked, spell almost broken but not quite.

"Come with me to Cornwall." The prince whispered.

Merlin felt like he was being split in half as he stared at the boy before him, wondering, thinking, hoping in a desperate whirlwind of confusion. He looked off in the distance, thoughts of Arthur and Camelot filling him mind. Moving out of Aldwin's grasp a thought came to him.

"How'd you find me?" He suddenly asked, and a wave of questions soon followed. "What are you doing here? Where's Lancelot? How did you get here? Wh-"

"Whoa, Merly-poo. Settle down." Aldwin said, smirk settling onto his face. Merlin felt a tick of frustration begin to form. He had to admit, he would not miss the boy's smirk. "I happened to find you out of sheer dumb luck, and I'm sure you and I are out here for very similar reasons." The fact that he didn't mention Lancelot didn't go unnoticed by Merlin.

"And Lancelot?" He asked hesitantly, feeling an embarrassed flush form on his face as visions of earlier played in his mind. Aldwin faltered slightly, giving Merlin a tentative look. Merlin felt a thrill go through his stomach when he remembered a rather similar look being shot at Lancelot. Maintaining eye contact seemed almost sinful at this point and Merlin struggled not to look away.

"Who cares about Lancelot, eh?" Aldwin said, voice shaking almost imperceptibly as a look of casualness, that Merlin was positive was fake, came over the prince. Merlin smiled uneasily as a small voice in the back of his brain wondered suspiciously if Aldwin had killed Lancelot. He didn't seem capable of it but looks could be very deceiving.

Merlin almost shook his head at the thoughts running through his mind. They were ridiculous really. Lancelot was a very good fighter so chances were he'd only end up badly wounded, not dead. Besides, if Lancelot's earlier actions were anything to go by, he probably deserved it.

Merlin felt a deep well of shame twist inside of him as he realized that no matter how bad Lancelot's actions were, he still had not done anything to stop them. The situation was only made worse, however, by Merlin's hesitant curiosity at how it would feel to be in Lancelot's position. Perhaps not with the same attitude as Lancelot, but to be with Aldwin in such a manner. To break the barriers of the boundaries they had set with one another and give into this feeling bubbling underneath, pushing against their façades slowly but surely.

The ghost of Arthur hovered in his mind and Merlin felt a desperate need for time to stop. He just needed some time.

"Come on." Aldwin said, gentle voice lulling Merlin back to his surroundings. "We've got a long journey ahead of us. The prince offered his hand and the servant examined it, feeling an anticipatory flutter in his stomach as he reached out, twining their fingers together and allowing the blonde to help him up.

**Line Break:**

Arthur moved through the trees, body tense as he remained overly aware of his surroundings.

'_Why didn't I just bring a horse?' _He wondered, moving at what he felt was an irrationally slow pace, no matter how much it strained at his legs.

His heart thumped in his chest and adrenaline coursed through his veins as he looked around, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of…well, anyone. .

_Crack_

Arthur jumped, going on the defensive as a twig snapped nearby. As several seconds passed and he saw no one, he looked down, realizing that the twig snapping had, indeed, been due to his foot and not that of a stranger.

Arthur shook his head and let out a small chuckle, the frustration of the last week coming out in a laugh, forced and defeated. He breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with air and trying to ease the tension.

He pushed onward in his quest for Morgana. He walked through the woods, body moving of its own accord as thoughts of Merlin flitted dizzyingly around his skull. The boy was tiring.

Being around Merlin had proven a strain. But not a wholly unpleasant one and that's what confused Arthur the most. When away from the brunette he couldn't keep thoughts of him out of his head and he dreaded seeing him again. Yet when beside him he felt happiness unrivaled by any and he knew he would be disappointed if he couldn't be around the boy. But Merlin was his servant. The thought entered his mind often enough now that even Arthur felt it had lost all meaning.

He knew, logically, that they had crossed the boundaries of Master and Servant long ago. Not by becoming intimate, though that certainly drove the point home. No, they had crossed that point by becoming friends, and he did consider Merlin his friend. At least, as much as they could be friends considering their class difference.

And there it was again. Arthur was a prince, and Merlin was a servant. And, Arthur supposed, that's all it ever really came down to.

Arthur was to become king and Merlin was to…well, to be perfectly honest, Arthur had never really thought about it. He supposed he'd just assumed that no matter where he ended up Merlin would be there.

When Arthur thought of being king it was overwhelming and stressful. He'd gone through every possible scenario in his mind: his responsibilities, his people, and his policies. Eveything that came with being king he had imagined. Except for one thing.

Arthur faltered and quit walking altogether, standing still as a realization hit him.

In all his imaginary scenarios, in all the trouble he faced, in all the people he'd be surrounded by, he had never actually pictured Merlin. The boy had seemingly disappeared from these visions and Arthur felt a hollowness form in his chest.

"_I want to be treated like I'm not disposable!" _Merlin's voice echoed harshly in his mind.

Was this what Merlin had been talking about? Did Arthur think he was disposable?

Arthur could see Merlin so clearly now, staring up at him as he yelled with a face so full of rage, so full of hurt. Arthur had seen glimpses of both emotions on Merlin before but never had they been so apparent and never had they been focused on him. As much as Arthur hated to admit it, it had been terrifying.

Not because he was afraid of Merlin physically since, frankly, the boy did not present much of a threat. He had been terrified because, for the briefest of seconds, he felt like he might lose Merlin.

Arthur sighed and wondered how, with everything going on in Camelot, he could be obsessing over the brunette. He felt that it was beginning to get out of hand. That his need for the boy was verging on unhealthy.

Arthur supposed he could take solace in the fact that Merlin was far from aware of his affect on the prince.

Arthur broke from his thoughts when a sound caught his attention. His hand moved to the hilt of his sword as he went, once again, into defensive mode. He whipped his weapon out, walking carefully towards the sound.

The noise was coming from a nearby clump of trees, a slight rustling as a creature moved amongst the plants. Arthur's heart quickened and he licked his lips nervously, prepared for the worst.

Slowly, something began to emerge. Brown hair littered with leaves was the first thing that Arthur saw, quickly followed by a very familiar form stumbling out of the foliage.

"Lancelot?"


	25. Valentine's Day Special

**A/N: Well guys, I have another holiday special for you. This one was just a fun little thing I threw together to celebrate Valentine's and get me back in the groove of writing. Unfortunately some drama reared its ugly head and I wasn't really in the mood to write for, like, a week. But, fortunately, the universe is being nice to me again and the drama train has left the station. Thank you universe! **

**So, anywho, I should be able to post the newest chapter soon but for now let this tide you over. It's not nearly as much as I would have liked to have written for a holiday special but Valentine's came faster than I thought and I really would like to get cracking on the new chapter so, for the sake of the new chapter, we will have to settle for something fun but short. I hope you enjoy!**

**Also, Happy Valentine's to everybody!**

_**Valentine's Day Special:**_

_**From Arthur to Merlin:**_

_1. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_I left some armour on your bed,_

_Clean it quickly, I need it in the morning_

_2. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_Dandelions are yellow,_

_And you're an idiot_

_3. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_I have a special_

_Present for you_

_P.S. It's my penis_

_4. Roses are red, _

_Violets are blue,_

_I need you to polish my sword,_

_And no, that's not an innuendo_

_5. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

…_I like your ears_

_**From Merlin to Arthur:**_

_6. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_You're a prat,_

_And I hate you…sort of_

_7. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_And you're an ass_

_8. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue_

_Who taught you how to write poems? _

_Seriously, they're awful_

_9. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_Quit leaving your sweaty armour on my bed_

_10. Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue,_

_There's another sorcerer in the castle_

_And they're trying to kill you_

_**Lancelot to Aldwin:**_

Aldwin stood on the balcony, gazing at the night sky before him. It really was quite beautiful and, much as he missed Cornwall, Camelot seemed to shimmer with a serene tranquility that calmed him. It really was a gorgeous place.

"Oh fair Aldwin of Cornwall!" Aldwin jumped, furrowing his brows and looking over the ledge.

"Oh shite." He cursed, spotting a familiar figure. Lancelot was kneeling on the ground, a bouquet of roses in his hand as he gazed up at Aldwin lovingly. "Go away!" The prince shouted, irritation settling in.

"_**Though a rose doth contain a crimson hue**_,"

'_What is he doing?' _Aldwin thought before a horrifying realization sunk in. _'Poetry?'_

"_**And a violet, in contrast, may be quite blue**_,"

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no!" Aldwin shouted, glaring at the man. "You are not-oh god." As much as he wanted to just retreat into his room he seemed frozen in place, watching Lancelot with morbid fascination.

"_**The flower that I long for day after day**_

_**Is coated in the colour of you"**_

"Go to bed!" The prince shouted in terror, hoping to god that nobody noticed what was going on.

"_**For golden petals catch my gaze, **_

_**Your hair a flowing thread of wheat,**_

_**I find that on the many days**_

_**It's you I strongly wish to meet"**_

"He's really quite good, I have to admit." Aldwin jumped when a voice spoke up from beside him. He groaned when he realized that, somehow, Prince Arthur had gotten on the balcony.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed angrily.

"Shh." Arthur hushed him with a smirk. "You won't want to miss the good bit."

Aldwin stared at him incredulously. "You planned this?" He exclaimed. Arthur shot him a smirk before pointing out at Lancelot.

"_**My flower, my love, my golden enigma,**_

_**I long for that which you keep from me, **_

_**Were it mine, for me to treasure**_

_**I would do so with utmost glee,"**_

Aldwin spluttered when the sound of a harp began to accompany the man's voice. A maiden trotted out from the trees, holding a harp and playing soulfully. Aldwin's eyes drifted, though, to the boy behind her, carrying a basket of petals and dancing around Lancelot, sprinkling them around the man as he twirled.

"Um, Arthur?" Aldwin asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" The prince replied, voice coated in satisfaction and mirth.

"Why's Merlin wearing a dress?" He asked as he watched Merlin dance, dress swaying with the motions.

"He insulted my poetry."

"_**Were it in night or in sun, **_

_**In hiding or plain sight,**_

_**You are my only one**_

_**And such is my plight**_

_**The laughter that shines in your eyes,**_

_**Viridian orbs that always sparkle,**_

_**I find your smile draws out mine,**_

_**And your joy is quite remarkable**_

_**My heart reaches out to yours,**_

_**And finds a kindred feeling,**_

_**I see your face in every gaze**_

_**And it sends my heart reeling,"**_

"Wow, this just doesn't end does it?" Aldwin muttered, staring as Lancelot kept going. Merlin and the harp player were beginning to look tired and irritate though Lancelot didn't look like he was ready to stop.

"No, it really doesn't." Arthur sighed.

**-5 MINUTES LATER-**

"_**Time, oh racing friend that passes, **_

_**Grant me but once to be with you,**_

_**For it is you that doth reside in my heart, **_

_**In my head, in my mind, and the blue**_

_**Of a sky that span the length of the world,**_

_**Full of life and the comforts of people,**_

_**But disgrace them I would, for my mind has been furled,**_

_**By the power of your great steeple,"**_

Aldwin, who had begun to space out, perked up again at that.

"Was that an innuendo?" He asked, looking at Arthur wildly. The prince jumped, having dozed off on the ledge.

"What?" He asked, rubbing at his eyes and giving a yawn.

"_**Oh sweet voice that echoes to me softly,"**_

"THAT'S IT! I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE!"

Both Aldwin and Arthur jolted, quickly looking back at the grounds and groaning at what they saw. The harp player had evidently had enough and was currently…well, beating Lancelot with her harp. Merlin glanced around awkwardly before backing away, shooting a frightened look at the harpist and then disappearing in the woods.

"Well…uh, happy Valentine's I guess." Arthur murmured, looking at Aldwin awkwardly.

"Yeah, you too." They both glanced away, feet shifting as they moved inside the castle.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked suspiciously, spotting Aldwin moving to the door as well.

"Where are you going?" Aldwin countered pointedly.

"Back to my chambers. You on the other hand are…" A look of realization came onto Arthur's face and he shot a glare at Aldwin. "Merlin's mine." He snarled and they both began to move faster.

"Not if I can get to him first." Aldwin challenged and they both rushed for the door.

"Ow! You can't hit me, that's cheating!"

"No it's not, besides- ow! You just bit me!"

"No I didn't!"

"Liar!"

_**Aldwin to Lancelot:**_

_No means no (unless you're Merlin)_

_Seek help _


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: You. Guys. Are. Phenomenal! Seriously, the reviews from last chapter totally made my week. In fact, all the reviews so far have been splendid. Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me what you think! It's so encouraging and nice. So, as a present, I have a really inappropriate Lord of the Rings joke for you guys:**

**Question: What do you call an Ent at a funeral?**

**Answer: Mourning Wood. **

**You will now think of this every time you see a tree and, if you are anything like me, it will make you laugh. **

**Also, as much as I enjoy all of your reviews, I have to give a special shout out to ConstantLabrynth because this,**

"…_and if anyone is obsessing about things that don't quite add up - just remember  
"talking dragon""_

**made me laugh. Really hard. And it made me feel better. **

**Another thing, (I know, I talk too much…er…write too much) an Anonymous reviewer asked if they could marry my story. In response to this, I will be holding a wedding ceremony next chapter. If any one else wishes to marry my story let me know and send me your vows. **

**Warning: My story's into polygamy so you may be emotionally hurt when you find it's married to many other people. Also, it suffers from blatant homosexual tendencies so you are at risk of finding edible boxers in intimate locations.**

**P.S. Avoid your basement. It has now been converted to a dungeony looking room with a sexual motif. **

**Chapter 24: 'Back in My Day…'**

Gwen felt unsteady, locked in a haze and weak. She didn't know how long she'd been down in the cave but it felt like an eternity.

She and Rowan had gone through a series of tunnels, long and winding. And she felt like they were going in circles. Something that was soon reaffirmed when they ended up in a tunnel they'd already passed through.

"Rowan, I think we're lost." Gwen said, voice sounding faint to her own ears. There had been a severe lack of talking between the two of them and Gwen supposed she'd grown accustomed to not talking. But, if she was perfectly honest, Gwen preferred it that way. Every time she looked at Rowan she felt something eat at her, pressing against her brain and begging to come free.

"Yes, it would appear we are going in circles." The princess muttered, though she sounded distracted.

It's amazing at how, in the most sudden of moments, a realization can hit someone.

One word, that was all it took. One word from Rowan and everything came flooding back to Gwen.

_Flashback:_

_Gwen hurried down the hallway, already running late for her chores as it was. She felt flustered, as usual, and her heart skipped a beat. She stumbled a little; dropping the dress she was holding and cursing inwardly. _

_She'd just returned from the laundry room, a fresh change of clothes for Morgana in her hand. Blushing her hand shook a little, nerves invading her mind as she bent to pick up the garment. _

_Morgana would look beautiful in it, she was certain. But Morgana looked beautiful in everything. Gwen, however, had spent enough time serving the princess to realize that, no matter how pretty Morgana looked in dresses, she looked her most beautiful in nothing. _

_Gwen's blush increased and she bit her lip, softly running her thumbs along the soft fabric of the clothing. _

"_You must control yourself." _

_Gwen jumped as an angry whispering filtered to her from around the adjacent hallway. She looked around slowly, debating if she should just walk away from the situation. _

"_Yes, sire." A reluctant, angry voice answered. _

_Gwen bit her lip and carefully moved. Making sure to be quiet, she peeked her head around the corner and furrowed her brows at the sight. _

_Rowan stood there, pinned under the stare of a man whom Gwen recognized as one of the royal council. This man held Rowan roughly in place, gripping her arms tightly. _

"_I tell you to do one thing and you spoil it. Serkets? You're going to give us away." The man growled. _

_There was a heavy silence around the hallway as the two stared at each other, Rowan defiant and the man contemplating. Gwen, for her part, was desperately confused. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on and was torn between helping the princess and leaving them to their privacy. Still, they were having a row right in the middle of the hallway. Which wasn't a very royal thing to do._

_The man suddenly heaved a sigh, lifting a hand up. Both Rowan and Gwen flinched, expecting a slap, but the man just rested his palm against the girl's cheek, rubbing it gently across her face. _

"_You must be careful. I don't want to lose you. You are, after all, one of the better ones." He said, leaning in close to her and resting a gentle kiss to her lips._

_Gwen felt slightly nauseous at the scene, the man making her feel violated for some reason. Based on Rowan's stiff reaction, the girl felt the same. _

_The man pulled away with a chuckle. "Always so frigid, Rowan. Perhaps if you were more giving," He said suggestively. "You're father would not find you so invaluable." _

_The man smirked and walked away. _

_Gwen flinched as he walked in her direction, moving back a few feet and trying to look like she'd just begun walking down the hallway. The man walked around the corner, pausing when he spotted her. He looked at her appraisingly and Gwen felt a small shudder wander up her spine. _

_Her feeling of violation lingered long after he'd passed and she reminded herself to avoid him at all costs. _

_End Flashback_

'**Serkets' **

The word echoed sickeningly around her skull, bringing about hideous realizations that Gwen couldn't, for the life of her, believe that she hadn't thought of before.

"It was you." She muttered the words before she thought better of it and Rowan whipped around, staring at her curiously.

"Whatever do you mean?" Rowan asked with a slight edge to her voice.

Gwen paused for a few seconds, knowing that if her suspicions were, indeed, true then her next actions could change this situation to something far more drastic. Years of working at Camelot had taught her to be very careful in her actions and that people, especially those with some sort of an advantage, could be incredibly hostile when they felt threatened.

"Well, I just meant to say that you've been leading this whole time," She said, watching Rowan very carefully. She paused hesitantly, wondering what else to say.

"Are you saying it's my fault we're going in circles?" Rowan snapped, getting huffy and defensive.

"Yes. No!" Gwen was confused and felt that she was digging her own grave. Or at least creating a scenario where the end result would be her in a grave. Or a pit, Rowan seemed the type. "Why don't I lead?" She suggested, trying to ease the situation.

"I'm quite capable." The princess barked, glaring furiously at the servant. "So if you don't mind _I _will lead." Rowan turned around harshly, practically stomping down the passageway.

Gwen let out a sigh. "Royals..." She muttered.

"I heard that!"

**Line Break:**

A deafly stillness echoed throughout Camelot, the place seeming eerie and almost defeated. Figures lay crumpled in the streets, in the castle, all lying still and motionless except for the almost imperceptible rise and fall of chests as they breathed, slowly and peacefully, in their slumber.

A man lay hunched over his wood work, snores emanating from him and disturbing the otherwise quiet atmosphere. A woman lay stiffly on the ground, sheets and clothes on the ground nearby. A woman lay bent over a table, day old dough pressing into her clothes and a rolling pin tossed unceremoniously to ground as she had fallen asleep whilst making bread. A man, who'd been right in the middle of mucking his stables when he'd fallen asleep, lay crouched in….muck.

The usual hustle and bustle of Camelot had been lost and the dwelling was beginning to look oddly rustic, though the reason for that was not yet apparent.

**Line Break:**

"Lancelot?" Arthur asked, staring at the man in surprise. "What are you doing here?" He asked, looking away awkwardly and sliding his sword back in its holster. The memories of earlier still rang in his mind, bringing an oddly pink tinge to his face.

"I assume I'm doing much the same as you." Lancelot answered and Arthur's eyes went wide. "Searching for someone." Lancelot said, giving Arthur a confused look.

"Yes of course. Why ever would I think differently?" The prince muttered, pushing back whatever nerves had reared their head and looking at Lancelot confidently. "Who are you looking for?" He asked, trying to behave normally and not as though he'd just seen the man doing…well, things. He couldn't even bring himself to think it.

"It seems that Aldwin is not as fond of my advances as I had hoped. He appears to have run away from me." Lancelot admitted freely, taking Arthur off guard. Although, he supposed, they were, at this point, practically friends.

"Run away?" Arthur asked curiously. "What makes you say that?"

"Well," Lancelot said, shifting a little. "He said "You're an arse, leave me alone." And then ran away." The brunette gestured, looking ahead longingly. Arthur took the hint and began walking, feeling more than seeing the brunette take his place beside him.

Several moments passed as they walked, a heavy silence hanging in the air. Arthur's heart pumped faster than he'd care to admit and he felt a rough anxiety anchor itself somewhere in his stomach. He felt an odd longing for Merlin and wondered where his servant could have gone. He realized with a sinking feeling that it was incredibly possible Merlin had gone to search for Morgana and Gwen as well. Which might mean that…

Arthur felt torn between his sense of duty as a knight and his own petty jealousy. In the end, however, if Morgana and Gwen were in danger then, perhaps, his focus would have to lay with them. He would just have to place his trust in Merlin.

Silence hung heavily in the air, filling the space between them as they walked. However, it was soon broken.

"Lancelot?"

"Yes, sire?"

"Do you, by any chance, know which direction Aldwin went?" Arthur asked, turning to look at Lancelot very seriously.

**Line Break:**

Merlin stared as Aldwin walked in front of him, back straight and posture emitting strength. But Merlin felt far from that, so absolutely far from any form of strength that each step eroded his will to continue. He almost wondered if it was worth it but just picturing Gwen in his mind sent a wave of longing through him that made the answer clear.

Merlin felt guilty, a feeling he'd become accustomed to since arriving in Camelot. He wondered how they all could have become so distracted by each other that they'd neglected to care about Gwen. Granted, without due cause there wasn't anything they could have done. At least, nothing Arthur could have done. After all, they didn't have any proof that Gwen had been kidnapped. Which, Merlin realized, had never stopped Merlin from running off head-first into danger in the past. So, the real question was, how could Merlin have become so distracted by Arthur that he'd neglected his friend?

The brunette faltered a little, realizing what he'd just thought. Was Arthur having this much of an effect on him? Had he allowed his attentions to be swayed by the prince to this much of an extent? And, more importantly, what did any of this mean? And…what about Aldwin?

Merlin glanced up, looking at the prince before him. It was all so confusing but somehow, when he was around Aldwin, it seemed to clear a little. His mind went blank and he was allowed to enjoy the moment. It was…nice. Though, he couldn't say for sure what it was about Aldwin that had him so fascinated.

Merlin's eyes strayed downward and he took in the slight limp in Aldwin's gait. Could it be because of…?

Merlin blushed and his eyes lifted upward, towards the boy's arse which had just, hours ago, had Lancelot's…

Merlin looked away, rubbing a hand over his forehead in confusion and frustration. He couldn't think about Aldwin like that, not while they were alone together. It was weird.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Aldwin asked and Merlin jumped, looking up quickly and finding the prince's friendly stare.

"Yes, I'm fine." He murmured, snapping his face away quickly and resuming his pace, pushing forward in determination and denial.

The day continued much the same, with Merlin lost in his own thoughts and, for the most part, ignoring Aldwin. They'd made fairly decent progress though…or regression. To be perfectly honest, neither knew where they going, so the whole adventure was somewhat moot. Still, it gave him something to do that didn't involve servant duties and, if Merlin were being completely honest, he would much rather wander the whole of Albion for the rest of his life than have to wash another one of Arthur's smelly socks. He didn't care what Gaius said, healthy feet do not smell like that.

"We should set up camp." Aldwin said, stopping and surveying their surroundings. He idly kicked a rock lying nearby. "It's a little bumpy but I think this spot will do." He murmured, kneeling down to inspect the ground. He looked up a little sheepishly. "Do you…uh, do you happen to have a tent?" He asked, gesturing to the brunette's back pack. Merlin jumped, having completely forgotten he'd been wearing one and thought quickly. It seemed that he had, surprisingly, brought a tent.

"Well, that was lucky." He muttered, looking at Aldwin in surprise as he pulled out the material.

A short while later found them nestled inside the tent, the air still and quiet but for the slight buzz of insects. Merlin could feel Aldwin's warmth emanating from behind him and a painfully familiar hunger fluttered in his stomach. He shifted awkwardly, stilling when he heard Aldwin take in a breath. Merlin closed his eyes when he felt the heat build in his complexion and bit his lip, breathing just a bit faster when he felt Aldwin move a little behind him.

"Are you feeling well?" Aldwin whispered in his ear and Merlin's thighs twitched when his hormones made themselves clear.

"Y-yes. I'm fine." Merlin stuttered, voice abnormally quiet and shaky.

"Oh." Aldwin conceded before settling back behind him.

Merlin was stuck somewhere between disappointment and relief. He wasn't sure what he wanted Aldwin to do but- No, he'd decided not to think that way and he was determined to stick to his decision. Merlin sighed and clenched his eyes shut, waiting for sleep to take him. However, as time drifted slowly by it didn't seem that he would have such luck...

**Line Break:**

_A warm body pressed against him, hot and demanding as it rubbed against his own, bringing about familiar pleasure. He moaned, arching a little, though he couldn't seem to get the contact he wanted. _

_Merlin felt a rough surface press against his erection and shivered-_

Merlin awoke with a start, something slamming him out of unconsciousness quite suddenly. He groaned in discomfort and struggled to comprehend his surroundings.

Something warm and solid pressed against his back, pinning him belly down into the ground. It was oddly intoxicating, hotter than anything he could possibly imagine and bringing about pleasant little shudders. However, Merlin felt a great deal of discomfort in his groin and realized that, in his current position, his erection was pressing into the ground. Merlin huffed and tried to shift, freezing when he heard a whimper from above him. When he figured out why a deep blush came to his face.

It seemed that Aldwin, who was currently lying on top of him, was experiencing a similar problem as Merlin, the evidence of which was currently pressing into the brunette's behind. When the servant shifted to ease his own discomfort, his hips pressed up and into Aldwin.

Merlin tried to loosen his arms, figuring that he could push Aldwin off. But, he found that the prince had wrapped his arms around Merlin in his sleep and their hands were currently entwined, preventing any movement on his part.

"Oh for god's sake." Merlin muttered, a flare of disbelief going through him. The situation was way too convoluted to be real and he absolutely refused to believe it. Merlin shifted again, feeling Aldwin's erection press hard and rough into his buttocks. "Oh." Merlin trembled, hearing the harsh intake of breath that sounded by his ear. Aldwin's breath hit him in a moist and hot fashion, sending his stomach tumbling.

Merlin's face fell back to the ground and he clenched his eyes shut, debating his next actions. He found himself confronting a moral dilemma as any effort to get Aldwin off would result in him…well, getting Aldwin off. And, since he was sleeping, the action would most likely seem advantageous and awkward. And, after what he'd done to Arthur, he didn't' think he could face that again. Still, he couldn't just stay in this position. If anything else it had to be unhealthy for him and his erection seemed to agree.

Merlin shifted his legs, trying to at least hold himself away from the source of discomfort but he froze when Aldwin let out a moan.

"Shite." He muttered, trying to think of a way out of this. Maybe he could use his magic; certainly it would be safe by now?

"Mmm." Aldwin groaned behind him and something began to rub against Merlin.

"Oh no." Merlin said when he realized that Aldwin was, indeed, grinding his hips against Merlin's back side. It was frustratingly erotic. "Aldwin, wake up!" He exclaimed, trying to get the prince to knock it off. He was horny enough as it was and if this continued things were about to get really uncomfortable.

"I am awake." A voice whispered in Merlin's ear and he froze.

"What?" He squeaked more than asked. "Then get off of me." He demanded, feeling embarrassed and irritated.

"No, I feel quite comfortable where I am." Aldwin leaned very close to his ear this time.

Merlin tensed. He'd forgotten how pushy Aldwin could be. Merlin felt a small giggle well up inside him which came out nervously. "Aldwin…uh…" The brunette felt awkward and out of place, even though the heat was still pooling in his groin. Somehow the situation felt wrong. Still, something about Aldwin's body pressing into his made it hard for him to care. "Perhaps we should continue our search?" Merlin suggested, feeling the need to find a way out of this situation.

"It's still dark out." Aldwin whispered, pressing a light kiss to Merlin's ear.

The brunette shivered, fingers flexing in Aldwin's grasp. "Dark out?" He muttered, becoming slightly distracted by Aldwin's lips as he tried to process the information.

"Mm hmm." The blonde let out a sound of affirmation as his tongue came out to run along Merlin's lobe. "You've been asleep for about an hour." He mumbled before taking the skin between his lips and sucking gently.

"Then shouldn't we get some sleep?" Merlin gasped out, voice becoming breathy and faint.

"How can you sleep," Aldwin began, a hand disentwining from Merlin and moving down his torso. It was warm and gentle, sending a swarm of sparks through his spine as it went to a rather delicate destination. "When you're in such a state?" Aldwin finished, hand moving to touch Merlin's erection through his trousers.

"Unh!" Merlin let out a moan, body jolting as passion slammed through him. Aldwin's hand was harsh and unforgiving as it fondled him through the material, feeding his already growing desire. The frustration and tension that had been building up in him for so long reared its ugly head, overpowering much of his shame and guilt. He found himself slowly surrendering to the idea, though he couldn't completely get rid of his nerves. "Perhaps…" He said slowly, shuddering. "It wouldn't be…oh…so bad." He gasped out. Aldwin froze above him.

"Really?" The prince asked excitedly, sounding much like a kid who'd been told he could have a second piece of candy. Which, Merlin supposed, was somewhat true in this case.

Merlin bit his lip, suddenly feeling doubtful now that the hand had stopped. He glanced nervously over his shoulder. Aldwin was gazing at him with wide and glowing eyes, a happy smile on his face. "Flip over." The blonde said huskily.

The prince moved away from him, giving Merlin enough room to maneuver. The brunette hesitated for a few seconds before doing as he was told, lying on the ground nervously and staring up at Aldwin in trepidation. Perhaps this was a bad idea…Maybe he should just call the whole thing off and they should just go back to sleep…

Merlin was, indeed, prepared to do so when Aldwin lay down on top of him, driving that thought forcefully out of his head. The contact of the prince's body drove a longing through Merlin that he hadn't expected. The brunette felt every worry he had disappear into a haze, to be replaced by need and longing that had collected inside of him over the past week.

They gazed into each other's eyes slowly, intensely. Merlin swallowed nervously, leaning upwards just a centimeter. They both closed in, little by little, until they hovered just a breath away.

"Merlin, I-" Aldwin started, voice hesitant. The brunette couldn't later be sure why but for some reason, in that instant, those words were the only prompting he needed and he leaned in quickly, pressing his lips against Aldwin's.

Merlin felt like he'd completely disconnected from reality, from himself. He felt like he'd exited his body and was trapped in a world of hunger and raw, sexual need. Because right now, all he could feel was Aldwin and his own burning desire. It was hot and fast and overwhelming, just a rough collision of lips. Merlin's breath hitched and his mind went completely blank, falling into the connection blindly. He almost forgot to breathe and just focused on the tongue, on the lips combining with his own.

Aldwin's hands came to his body, both suddenly desperate and moving faster than they could imagine. Merlin's clothes were tugged at roughly and he groaned, pulling on the prince's attire as well. The brunette's hands slipped under the blonde's shirt, running over his torso and feeling the warm flesh under his fingers. He hadn't yet been able to touch Aldwin and he was surprised at the feel of his skin, so soft and heated yet, at the same time, so strong and muscled. Hands came into contact with his own torso and the brunette jumped in surprise, letting out a groan as the calloused fingers explored his skin.

Merlin's hands moved up to the prince's back, pulling him down firmly. Both boys disconnected from the kiss, letting out dual moans as their erections came into contact.

"Oh." Aldwin whimpered above him. The sound was mind numbingly sensual and Merlin shivered, arching his hips again just to hear that noise. "Oh." Aldwin let out again, pressing his lips onto Merlin's neck and scraping his teeth lightly over the skin. The servant trembled, bearing more of his neck for the prince.

"Aldwin." He gasped out, legs wrapping around the boy's hips and pushing against him insistently. The blond responded favourably, meeting Merlin's actions passionately.

Merlin moaned, body rocking as Aldwin's hips ground into his. They both moved in unison, reveling in the sensations that such simple movements could cause. Merlin's muscles tensed and he trembled, giving himself over to the pleasure of his actions. It was wrong, somewhere deep down he knew it, but at the same time he needed this. He wasn't sure what it was but he felt that, at this very moment, Aldwin was the most important thing to him. Logically he knew this wasn't true but as he took in ragged breaths and heat overtook his mind, he clutched at Aldwin's body like he couldn't live without him.

Sounds of pleasure filled the tent, drowning out the slight buzz of insects or the deafening silence that had filled the area earlier. Sweat dribbled down their bodies, clinging to their clothes as they shakily rubbed against each other.

Merlin let out a heady noise, turning his head and pressing his lips into the other boy, sucking and licking at his neck. Aldwin let out a surprised gasp, hands gripping Merlin's waist tightly. His hips shivered a little, pace becoming erratic, as Merlin marked him.

"Merlin." The prince gasped and the brunette groaned in reply, arching up roughly.

Aldwin increased his pace, pressing down powerfully into the servant. Merlin moaned, arching backwards and trembling as pleasure wracked through him. His thighs tensed, legs squeezing roughly around the prince, as the feelings coursed through him, setting his body aflame with passion. He could feel his orgasm building in his abdomen, assisted by Aldwin's unrelenting pace.

"Oh god." He cried, feeling helpless against the onslaught of pleasure. Aldwin's body was firm and forceful above him and Merlin would be lying if he said he didn't love it. Merlin's body tensed and the heat mounted exponentially. Trembling and tense he felt his orgasm hit him roughly, white sparks dancing in front of his eyes as warm liquid shot out of him, spilling inside his trousers.

Aldwin froze on top of him, gasping and shaking into Merlin's neck.

**A/N: …What?...Why are you looking at me like that?...**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: This chapter's pretty brief and possibly not my best but I'm satisfied with it. Sorry it took so long to update but I've had a weird week. Anyway, I'm looking for a beta so if any of you guys are interested PM me. Oh right, the wedding ceremony:**

**Kantgirl: ****I promise to read you before bed every time a new chapter is updated. yad yad yad... to have and to hold... til seanbiggerstaffrox finishes you and starts a new one. Then my alegencies may change. ;-)**

**Story: (Sex)**

**Me: You are now married. Sort of. But it's not legally binding, this isn't Guam. **

'**Chapter 25; Back in My Day…Cum was Latin for 'With.' '**

Morgana awoke with a start, looking around her in surprise. She hadn't remembered falling asleep but here she was, alone in the forest in an area she had never been to before. It was dark and twisting, sending sparks of confusion and worry into her stomach. Still, with Gwen in her mind and strength in her heart she was determined to go on. Even as an echo of something foul hovered behind her she walked forward.

**Line Break:**

Lancelot found his eyes straying to Arthur, for reasons he wasn't sure of. Perhaps it was that he also found Arthur's eyes straying to him or perhaps it was his hormones taking hold of him or perhaps, and he feared this was far more likely, it was the light blush on the prince's face and the slightly unsure air that emanated from him infatuating the knight far more than he liked. He wasn't sure why but something about Arthur's uneasiness drew his attention in a very unhealthy way. Everything with Aldwin had been a battle and while that was enticing to say the least he found that, after battling Aldwin's stubbornness, Arthur's uncertainty was oddly alluring.

The boy was strong, there was no doubt about it, and strong willed indeed. He was a talented fighter and a loyal friend, so very on the edge of manhood that Lancelot found himself looking up to him as though he himself were a child again. And still there remained something of an innocence in him, a lack of confidence that he hid well but shone as clear as day to the brunette. Arthur was still growing and still learning and very much ignorant in the matters of love and it was disgustingly erotic to Lancelot. He was beginning to feel shameful just thinking about it. Yet something still stirred deep in his loins.

**Line Break:**

Arthur had a bad feeling somewhere in his gut, eating away at him. And, somehow, he felt like it could be directly traced to Merlin.

"Sire," Lancelot spoke from beside him, voice gentle but pleading. "I feel that I owe you an apology." Arthur froze in his spot, turning to look at Lancelot searchingly.

"What ever for?" He inquired, taken aback by the serious look on Lancelot's face.

"I've been thinking and I've realized…I neglected my duties." Lancelot had a look of profound sorrow on his face and Arthur felt discomfort rise in him. He wasn't very good with emotional discussions, though he was not unused to them. Many a knight had felt the burden of battle and had sought comfort with him…through talking of course. Granted there were several knights who used each other for comfort of a physical nature, but they generally stayed far away from Arthur. Out of fear, of course, since he was the prince. If he was just another noble he was absolutely positive they would jump his bones at every juncture. Arthur shuddered a little, ripping himself from his strange thoughts and focusing on the man before him once again.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, before mentally kicking himself.

'_If you ask them questions they'll just keep talking and then you'll have to respond, you moron.' _He suddenly wished that Merlin was here. The servant was always spouting some emotional drivel and could surely handle it much better than the prince. Plus, since Lancelot was in a talking mood, the two could keep each other company which would save Arthur from having to deal with it. Which was something Arthur certainly didn't want to do. Especially since Merlin had been somewhat fussy lately.

"Instead of searching for Morgana and Gwen I have allowed myself to become distracted by Prince Aldwin. I've surrendered to my own lust and these are not actions worthy of a knight." Lancelot admitted, ever insistent on proving himself worthy of knighthood despite the fact that he could not be a knight. He was staring at Arthur intensely and genuinely. Arthur blinked in surprise, cheeks tinting a light pink at the man's choice of words.

'_Lust' _

The word echoed around his head, mocking him. Arthur tried desperately to think of something else but the harder he tried the louder the word echoed, cracking his composure and giving him the distinct urge to slam his head under a rock.

"…right." He muttered, shifting uneasily and glancing away.

"I feel that I have failed the whole of Camelot and as such-"

"Lancelot." Arthur interrupted, placing a hand on Lancelot's arm to steady the man. He felt his stomach flip at the warmth of the man's body and quickly retracted his hand, shifting somewhat nervously as the feel of the solid muscle remained on his palm. "You're fine. We're all guilty of straying once in a while." He felt an odd sorrow fill him when thoughts of Merlin resurfaced. "But, we have a quest ahead of us and such things should remain far from our thoughts." Arthur said, feeling himself relax at his own words. Lancelot looked somewhat relieved and Arthur was filled with a new reanimation, more comfortable with the prospect of an adventure instead of the confinement of Camelot.

Arthur charged forward, exhilaration covering up his latent anxiety as the world seemed to blur into the background, just him and his temporary freedom in mind.

They walked for hours and Arthur slowly began to wear down, finding himself losing motivation. He glanced back, eyes meeting Lancelot's and jolted, a spark of something intense, shock perhaps, going through his body. He loathed to admit it but thoughts of what he'd witnessed earlier that day continued to rotate in his mind, almost as though on a constant loop, stealing away nearly all of his concentration as time went on.

The sun began to sink low in the sky and Arthur let out a sigh, stopping where he was. He glanced around, figuring that they must have made a fairly decent trek for the day. He could spot a stream nearby and knew they must be nearing the edge of the woods. It would also serve as a convenient place to bathe in the morning.

"We should set up camp for the night." He said and Lancelot nodded. A sudden thought struck him and he felt sheepish, looking at the other man somewhat hesitantly. "Do you, perhaps, have a tent?" He asked, realizing he'd come to depend on Merlin for the practical supplies during trips.

"Yes." Lancelot said with a grin, pulling material out of a sack that Arthur hadn't paid any attention to until now.

"Well, that was lucky." He muttered and watched as Lancelot began to set up. "I'll go find some food." He offered. Lancelot nodded and he hurried off, desperate to find some relief from the awkwardness of the other man's company.

Arthur wondered through the wilderness, everything going dark far earlier than his liking. He made sure to stay close enough to their campgrounds so that he wouldn't get lost but still felt uneasy as it grew dark. He heard the sound of something wandering nearby and listened closely. It sounded too big to be anything edible and too small to be anything dangerous. Still, it sent ice dripping down his spine. He decided that the smartest course of action would be to return to camp.

He began to retreat quickly but in his haste he tripped over a nearby root. A muffled yell of shock escaped him and he heard the creature stir, the snap of twigs ringing up behind him. It sounded as though it was retreating however, not coming closer, so Arthur relaxed, removing his hand from the hilt of his sword where it had instinctively landed.

**Line Break:**

Morgana's chest squeezed tight and she jumped. A noise had sounded from behind her, quick and sharp to her ears. It was the sound of something heavy and a quick snap of branches. A yell accompanied it, harsh and guttural. Looking back she saw a dark shape moving on the ground behind her. Her breath hitched and she ran fast, trees hitting her as she moved by.

**Line Break:**

The night passed by slowly for Arthur. He found his thoughts straying, rest unable to take him as Morgana and Merlin alternatively stole his attention. With Lancelot beside him he also found that his mind drifted to the other man and what he now knew of him. He was sick of thinking about it and yet, even though other things pressed down on his brain, he couldn't get it out of his head.

A soft sigh came from beside him and he turned his head, finding Lancelot laying comfortably, eyes shut. He envied that the man could sleep at this time but was thankful for the solitude it provided. Still, he found that he was growing bored and antsy, unable to stay still from unease. Careful not to wake the other man he slowly began to rise from his position on the ground, folding his blanket carefully and slipping out of the tent.

Outside the tent the moon shown down from the sky, streaming through the trees and reflecting off the water. Arthur let out a sigh and stared at the shimmering surface. The cold air swirled around him, flicking at his night clothes teasingly and sending chills up his spine. But his thoughts were elsewhere and he couldn't be bothered to notice the temperature. A light breeze came by, making his hair fall in front of his face and he reached up an idle hand, brushing it back as he let his mind drift.

The past…week, was it? A week and a half maybe? Arthur couldn't keep track of the time. It felt like it had been a month, in fact, it felt too crazy for even that. It felt more like it had been a year. And yet, in just seven days, his whole world seemed to have been turned upside down. He wasn't sure what to make of anything and even more unsure of where it would go. And he hated that.

"Sire?" Arthur jumped when a voice sounded from behind him, faint from fatigue.

He turned to see Lancelot, exiting the tent and looking at him in tired curiosity.

"Ah, Lancelot." He greeted, turning from the water and self consciously crossing his arms. Out in the open, with only his nightshirt and britches on, he felt suddenly exposed. "Did I wake you?" He asked, shifting a little on his feet.

"I hadn't actually fallen asleep. I was merely resting my eyes when I felt you leave the tent." Despite him saying this, Lancelot let out a yawn. He followed this up by running a hand tiredly through is hair and Arthur found himself observing both actions in fascination, unable to tear his eyes away from the man. "Is something troubling you, sire?"

Arthur faltered, unsure how to answer the question. The only thing that seemed to come to mind was Lancelot, laying on top of Aldwin and thrusting in with a strength and animalistic passion that sent Arthur's stomach tumbling. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, not even air as he seemed to have stopped breathing.

"Arthur?" Lancelot asked and placed his arm on the prince's shoulder, looking deep into his eyes. A slight shiver went down Arthur's spine and he shook his head to clear it, though it had already gone blank but for the image of Lancelot thrusting in and out and in and – Arthur felt a wave of frustration and lust flash through him. He had the sudden urge to jump into the stream and cool off.

He looked up at the man staring at him in concern and realized with heaviness that it was time to confess. A deep breath escaped him and he straightened his posture, looking at the man in determination.

"I saw you." He blurted out, more hastily than he intended.

There was a heavy pause as Lancelot looked at him searchingly. Time moved by sluggishly and Arthur tensed, hoping he wouldn't have to explain himself. Lancelot exhaled and removed his hand, body relaxing in resignation.

"I know." He admitted his voice quiet. Arthur's brows furrowed and he cocked his head, wondering if they were talking about the same thing.

"At the clearing." He elaborated and Lancelot's expression didn't seem to change.

"I know." The brunette said and Arthur's breath hitched.

"You know?" He asked.

"I saw you afterwards, walking away." The man confessed. Arthur's heart pounded in his chest and a deep heat came onto his face. This whole time Lancelot had been aware that Arthur had seen him having sex with Aldwin. He felt oddly ashamed.

"I'm sorry." He said, feeling guilty all of a sudden. "I shouldn't have…" He trailed off, unsure how to continue.

"Is that why you've been behaving so awkwardly?" Lancelot asked, completely ignoring the apology. Arthur remained silent though his blush increased and his hands clenched. "I see." The man said and Arthur's heart fluttered. "Sire, you needn't feel so uncomfortable, this is entirely my fault. I apologize for behaving so brazenly in the clearing. It was improper of me to do that out in public."

Arthur didn't miss that Lancelot was only apologizing for the location of his actions, not his actions themselves. It was somewhat unnerving that the brunette could feel so guiltless about them when Arthur himself couldn't seem to remain comfortable after being with Merlin.

"Are you not at all ashamed of engaging in such an activity?" He found himself asking before he could stop himself.

Lancelot looked at him in surprise before a laugh escaped him. "Ashamed?" He asked incredulously. "It's a perfectly natural act. There is no need to be uncomfortable with being touched, sire." The man said and Arthur bristled.

"I'm not uncomfortable." He defended, though he knew it was a lie.

"Really?" The man challenged.

"Yes. Really." Arthur snapped.

Lancelot leaned in slowly and Arthur's breath faltered. He flinched away, staring at Lancelot in confusion as the man invaded his personal space.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Arthur asked, holding his hands up defensively and backing away.

"Relax, sire. You just have a stray eyelash." The man said casually and Arthur let out a relieved exhalation, feeling ridiculous for being so defensive.

"Oh, well. Thank you." Arthur muttered. "But I'm perfectly capable of getting my own eyelashes. Where is it?" He asked, reaching a hand upwards to brush the offending hair away.

"You mustn't be so uneasy sire." Lancelot said, looking at him pointedly. Arthur nodded, understanding the message.

He stood uncomfortably as Lancelot leaned in closer, hand reaching up to his face. The tanned appendage touched the prince's cheek and he flinched, feeling uneasy with the contact. It was quite preposterous that he could handle being stripped, bathed, and dressed by Merlin yet still remain so uncomfortable with human contact. "Have you gotten it?" Arthur asked when Lancelot showed no signs of moving, merely keeping his fingers to the blonde's cheek.

"Almost." Lancelot whispered, his voice gentle and faint. Arthur felt a slight chill morphing in his spine but couldn't be quite sure why. It was almost like dread yet somehow… more pleasant. Almost anticipation. The man leaned in closer to him, lips hovering just away from his own and eyes staring into his, searching.

"Lancelot…what are you-" Arthur was cut off from his question by the brunette's lips, slamming into his own with a force that the prince held not a chance of stopping. Even when the blonde tried to shift away he knew it was in vain, Lancelot's hand coming to hold the back of his head and affirm this knowledge. He felt still, frozen under the man's lips that didn't hold or press or push his own but seemed to dominate his, despite Lancelot's lack of movement. Arthur's hands came up, shaking slightly, and pressed at the brunette's chest, telling the man to back away since Arthur's lips could not. Lancelot backed off slightly and the prince felt a level of relief. It was quickly replaced though.

Lancelot had always been tricky and that had not changed over his time away from Camelot. Arthur began to relax as the brunette retreated but Lancelot was quick to use this against him, pushing back into Arthur and slipping his tongue past the blonde's lips.

The prince jumped and let out a sound of protest that went ignored. Arthur's stomach flipped and a sudden heat came into contact with his waist, seeping through the fabric of his shirt. He jumped a little, realizing by the shape and texture that it was Lancelot's hand.

He could feel the firm grip on the back of his head, the fingers pressing into his scalp and sending small tingles through his back that raced all the way down to the hand holding his torso. This combined with the sensation of Lancelot's mouth against his own and made him dizzy and disoriented.

He realized with some level of fear that Lancelot had him completely overpowered by a simple kiss. One that he hadn't even started yet. Arthur shuddered, noticing that Lancelot had been merely holding him like this, allowing him to adjust. However, whether it was the shudder or something else, something sparked the brunette into action and now he began to move.

Lancelot's tongue twirled lightly with his own, rubbing along the appendage gently and slowly. Arthur trembled, eyes slipping shut and clenching in confliction. He had the distinct feeling that he was melting but images of Merlin still hovered on the edges of his mind, prickling at him and making him feel more like sludge – dirty and vile. He wasn't sure he could handle all the emotions swirling inside him and began to feel like he'd combust if this continued. But Lancelot's hold was firm and his tongue was insistent and Arthur felt a small whimper build inside his chest. He tried to keep it down, tried to resist Lancelot's ministrations, but an overwhelming heat coursed through him.

"Nnn…" It came out as a moan, more desperate and needy than Arthur had initially expected.

Arthur shuddered, body beginning to submit to his own instinctive lust. His hands twisted in Lancelot's tunic and he leaned in, tongue hesitantly twining with Lancelot's. The brunette let out a noise of satisfaction, pushing forward roughly and sending Arthur backwards into a solid form.

The prince's stomach dropped when he realized he was pressed against a tree and sudden remembrance of Aldwin hit him. He wondered briefly if he would find himself in the same position as the other prince and was surprised to find that the thought wasn't wholly unwelcome. Still, with these thoughts in mind he felt the urge to make this end, to stop Lancelot in what he was doing.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, last chapter's title was kindly donated by Sans Toi. And this chapter's title was donated by V.E. Silber. Also, as far as the new system goes my new betas are: WhiteAngel128, Slythermint, and, as my tester audience before uploading chapters, AzureFlameVirus. **_

_**They have all worked diligently to bring you this new chapter so a big round of Thank You to them! **_

_**Lastly, just so none of you get confused, we're about to delve into some serious plot. This beginning segment is from the perspective of a new and important character (yeah, I know, more OCs :(...) and it's also a flashback which is why it's in italics. Other than that, I don't have much to say except enjoy the chapter and please leave me a review! Oh yeah, and I'm sorry for the long wait between this chapter and the last chapter but this chapter is 12 pages long so hopefully that makes up for it...**_

**Chapter 26; "Back in My Day… 'Missionary' was a guy trying to convert people."**

_James Le Croix was, in all respects, a simple person. He lived a simple life with simple goals and simple beliefs. Perfectly satisfied with this, he had never contemplated that such a thing could change for him nor that he would have the chance to stake his claim on greatness, to revolutionize Albion as he had come to know it. Until recently, of course, where it seemed by some divine intervention greatness had been thrust upon him by a source quite unexpected. _

_He had come to him in the night. The type of man that could capture your heart in an instant, who could steal you away from everything you thought you knew, and, yet, you wouldn't mind as long as you could keep his company. He'd walked through the door in a fluid motion, entering the holy room with confidence and suffocating the atmosphere with his presence. _

"_Greetings sire, have you sought counsel?" The priest asked, as peaceful as always. _

_James nervously stood nearby, still unaccustomed to dealing with the nobles. As eager as he was to take on his priesthood, he was not yet ready to prove himself in that respect. Although, he was comforted with the knowledge that he still had a few years left before he would graduate from his apprenticeship and be able to join the church in a permanent position. At least it saved him from speaking to the king. Or so he'd thought. _

"_Yes, but not with you." The man answered pointedly and Father John faltered. The king's attention suddenly turned to James, who felt as though his abdomen had twisted into a nervous lump. "I wish to speak with the boy."_

_Father John turned to him with wide eyes, unsure how to handle the situation. James, however, was in a state of panic, so when the priest began to splutter he felt no comfort, whatsoever, but was overtaken with the sudden urge to run for all he was worth. "I'm afraid that's impossible Sire. He has not yet graduated from-"_

"_Do you deny me?" The man hissed and Father soon went quiet. "I am the king and you will respect me." His tone was menacing and chills went through James' spine. _

_The priest let out a sigh, a deep reluctance taking hold of him. He looked at James with regret and the boy knew that he would have to speak with the king. It shouldn't have been as frightening as it was, it really shouldn't have, but James couldn't stand the thought. "Yes sire, I will leave you two in peace." Father John made his exit with haste and all too soon James and the king were left alone. The church had never felt so gaping and isolated as it did in that moment. _

"_S-sire?" The boy shuddered, unable to make eye contact with the man. _

"_There is no need to be nervous." The man said, his voice now gentle. James looked up curiously, hesitantly, and the other came closer, placing his fingers gently under the boy's chin and holding his face up firmly, but not hurtfully. "My name is Bayard. King Bayard." _

"_James, sire." The boy said, hands trembling nervously as he wondered what the man could possibly want. _

"_Tell me, James," Bayard said softly, running a thumb over the boy's lips. "What do you know about magic?" _

_James shuddered, shifting in the man's grasp and glancing quickly at the doorway. "Magic, Sire?" He asked uneasily. _

"_Yes, magic." An edge came to Bayard's voice and his fingers squeezed tighter on the boy's jaw. James flinched. _

"_Ah, just what they taught us in school." He answered quickly, feeling the king's grip relax. _

"_Well then, young man, I have a lot to teach you…"_

**Line Break:**

"I'm so sorry, sire." Lancelot said when he broke away, bringing his hand up to his mouth and looking just as alarmed as Arthur felt. "I don't know what came over me." The man's voice was faint, quiet, and almost muffled as he ran a hand up through his hair, looking not at Arthur but off into the trees.

As much as he wanted to respond to the man, Arthur found himself in a state of shock. His hand wandered up of its own accord, coming to rest on his mouth which was coated in a deep series of tingles. He was surprised to find that a lingering warmth remained on his lips from Lancelot's contact earlier; it made his stomach contract uneasily.

"You should get some sleep." Arthur found himself stating, voice blank and monotone.

"Sire?" Lancelot's voice was questioning, almost pleading.

"Yes, I think that would be best." Arthur said, feeling sterner now. "I will…stand guard." The words came out quickly, more an excuse than anything as standing guard was not something either of them should be doing. After all, he'd been on plenty of trips with Merlin and neither had stood guard. Just him and Merlin…in a tent…alone.

Arthur shook his head to clear it and decided that, at this point, standing guard was a reasonable enough excuse to be left alone and he would leave not room for argument. "Now." He barked, finally coming to look at Lancelot.

The man had a look of self-deprecation on his face and Arthur immediately felt guilt began to swirl inside his chest. "Yes, sire." Lancelot conceded in a sorrowful tone. He gave a slight nod before walking over to the tent.

"Well don't pout!" Arthur admonished in a choked tone. The brunette just glanced at him briefly, brunette eyes penetrating him and making his heart freeze. Lancelot looked away quickly and disappeared into the tent. "Shite." Arthur muttered, kicking the tree he'd just been pushed up against in frustration. A deep pain proceeded to spread throughout the whole of his foot and he hissed, gripping the appendage in pain and hopping up and down.

His teeth clenched together and he closed his eyes, resting his head against the bark. Breathing slowly and letting the realization of what had just happened wash over him, Arthur became painfully aware of the stillness around him. Everything seemed to have come to a stand still and, while this was nice, it made him all-too-aware of himself and the tightness in his trousers.

Arthur denied vehemently the situation that had presented itself. He could not possibly have been driven to such a state by _Lancelot _of all people. Though he supposed that the man was handsome, having an undeniable charm in his quest for nobility, despite his obvious failings in that quest as of late. He seemed to emanate an odd power, a weird type of misplaced eagerness about him that was somehow familiar yet overwhelming all the same. Arthur couldn't help but wonder if he'd always been like that or if it was just one of the many changes that seemed to accompany the man as of late.

It's not that Arthur knew Lancelot particularly well. After all, the first time Lancelot had shown up in Camelot he had only been there for a number of days, hardly long enough to constitute a bond. But Arthur couldn't deny that he'd developed an affection for the man. There was an odd complexity to him.

Lancelot was a man of two worlds. He had the nobility of a warrior, and the background of a plebian. He seemed a perfect combination of Knight and Commoner, something most people would frown on but Arthur found value in. And yet he struggled so very obviously.

In these past days Arthur doubted whether Lancelot leaving had been a good thing. The brunette had come back seemingly conflicted, as though torn between his desires. Though he would fight and though he was loyal he seemed to be disconnected, a man without a place or a role in the world. Aimless, Arthur supposed.

Arthur sighed and abandoned his thoughts, too tired to deal with them tonight. Mind coming back to the present he was disappointed to notice that his erection was still throbbing away in his trousers. It was useless to fight it, Arthur knew. He'd tried many times over the years but his penis remained the victor, beating Arthur's score of zero.

Having resigned himself to his biological urges, Arthur sought a somewhat-disclosed location near the campsite to lessen the risk of Lancelot finding him. He found a small clearing and, though it wasn't ideal, it would serve his purpose. Arthur shook his head, unable to believe he was doing this, but the insistent tug in his loins prevented him from changing his mind.

It was sinfully dirty and he knew it, but his body was aching in a need he couldn't quite comprehend the cause of. His hand reached down shakily, almost fearfully approaching the hem of his britches.

Arthur groaned, his hand sinking downwards to wrap around his erection. A light hiss escaped him at the contact and his eyes clenched shut, a heavy warmth enveloping him in the movement. He froze for a second, waiting for the shivers to ease. He almost retracted his hand altogether but the desperate need that flitted through is body propelled him forward, despite the inappropriateness of his actions.

Arthur groaned, hand squeezing harder on his penis. He couldn't believe he was doing this, especially right here and right now, and he couldn't believe _why _he was doing this. Thinking of Lancelot, he moved his hand upward, stroking the sensitive flesh of his cock. Tiny sparks went through his body, making his breath shudder. Slowly, his inhibitions were pushed away. He stroked himself again, this time more insistent and focused. As he neared the head of his erection, he flicked out his thumb, roughly rubbing it over the slit. Arthur gasped and his hips bucked at the sensation, body freezing and back arching into the touch. A bit of pre-cum leaked out and he gathered it onto his fingers, using it to ease the friction of his hand on his intimate organ.

Arthur was overly aware of the fact that he was pleasuring himself in the middle of the forest with Lancelot not-that-far-away, but for some reason the knowledge only added to his sensations.

"Oh!" He jolted. His breaths faltered at the little sparks that gripped at him, vibrating over his flesh and into his nerves, working its way into his blood and causing it to pump faster and harder in his veins.

Arthur sped up his hand, hips moving in tandem with his strokes. Everything else faded into the background as thrills went up his spine, images beginning to make their way into his mind and stimulating him. He thought of Lancelot's body pressed into his own, the feel of the man's tongue entwining with his, and the heat that emanated from him. He thought of how Lancelot had dominated Aldwin earlier, and his mind twisted it, putting himself in place of the other prince. He could picture Lancelot pushing him into the tree, pressing against him roughly and overpowering him.

Arthur shivered, feeling the bark behind him and pressing into it, almost mirroring what would happen if Lancelot were to do that to him. Arthur couldn't understand the heat that boiled in his abdomen from the notion, but it made his hand squeeze tighter, pull harder, as he groaned, thinking about what it would be like if this was Lancelot's hand. His thighs trembled and his hips jumped forward of their own accord, making him moan and bite his lip.

His whole body trembled, knees almost buckling beneath him, and he was forced to use one hand to steady himself against the tree. Sweat began to bead on his brow; clinging to his hair and making it stick to his forehead. But he paid little mind to it, lost in his own ecstasy. His whole body was ablaze with pleasure and his muscles taut with need.

A whimper escaped him and he furrowed his eyebrows, biting his lip harder to stifle the sounds he made. It wouldn't do to disturb Lancelot and have the man find him—no matter how much the thought made him shudder in delight.

**Line Break:**

Lancelot sighed to himself, staring up at the make-shift ceiling above him and feeling…well, rejected. He couldn't say for certain what it was that he was seeking from Arthur, but the young man obviously didn't wish to give it to him, though he couldn't blame the prince. Lancelot wasn't sure what had come over him in the past few days, but he didn't like it. At least, he thought he didn't like it. He couldn't be entirely certain of anything right now as it seemed his entire world had been flipped on its axis. And it all started with a certain Cornish prince.

Aldwin had a strange affect on him. He drove him mad and brought out a side of him that was wild, primal, and predatory.

Lancelot didn't like it.

Though, he couldn't blame the prince for that, since it wasn't his fault. Lancelot took complete responsibility for his actions although, disconcertingly, they did not quite feel like his own actions.

Lancelot felt an odd disconnection from himself lately. Actually, he'd felt an odd disconnection from himself since he'd left Camelot about a year ago. Something felt wrong, though he had not been able to figure out why.

The most sensible conclusion he'd drawn was that it had something to do with Gwen, but that had always felt off, distanced from the reason at heart. Merlin? That had struck him more than anything else. But now he doubted that it had to do with either of them. Now his mind was filled with flashes of golden hair and penetrating blue eyes that took his breath away and made his heart freeze.

Lancelot glanced at the opening of the tent, furrowing his brows and thinking over the logistics of exiting the confine and finding company with Arthur. Would the man reject him again? Was he still mad?

Lancelot felt a deep well of frustration bubble inside of him. His thoughts were scattered right now and he couldn't make sense of any of them, couldn't seem to find a way to link them all together. They all seemed to come back to Arthur, though.

Lancelot turned onto his side, staring at the blanket Arthur had just been laying on. Slowly, unthinkingly, he reached his hand out, resting it palm-down on the material. It had long-since lost the warmth of Arthur's body, but Lancelot could almost feel him, could almost see him resting on the fabric as he waited for sleep to take him. It was enticingly beautiful.

He moved his hand upward slowly, feeling the spot where Arthur's back had rested. Going farther, past his shoulder blades and to the nape of his neck, flowing right to where Arthur's locks had rested, still so pristinely placed, despite him lying down. Arthur was the only person he'd ever met whose hair stayed the same no matter what he was doing. Well, except Merlin of course. This made Lancelot wonder if it was Merlin's doing that Arthur's hair was so neat, so perfectly placed no matter what. He almost felt jealous but couldn't quite find it in him, mind straying from the prince and his servant to hair that flowed freely; hair that changed every second but never lost its beauty.

Feeling lonely and missing Aldwin, Lancelot got up, exiting the tent to find solace in Arthur's company. However, Arthur wasn't outside of the tent like Lancelot expected.

Though he was sure the prince had only wandered away, he couldn't deny the small bit of worry that went through him.

"Arthur?" He asked, walking forward and into a cluster of trees. Not receiving an answer, he continued to venture forth, pausing when he heard a small noise nearby. He almost called out, but something stopped him, telling him it would be best to remain silent. Treading towards the sound, he listened carefully, the occasional whimper emanating from the same spot. He stopped when the sounds seemed to be right in front of him, and peaked behind a tree, heart freezing at the sight before him.

Arthur was leaning against a tree, one hand gripping at the bark and another hand gripping at his erection which stood proudly, freed from the confines of Arthur's britches and leaking small droplets of white.

"By Jove." Lancelot muttered exhaling quickly and feeling his face heat up. He couldn't deny that, handsome as he looked on regular occasions, Arthur looked absolutely gorgeous in the midst of pleasure.

**Line Break:**

Arthur groaned, desperation flowing through his veins to accompany his pleasure and make his hasty strokes grow faster.

"Let me assist you sire." Arthur jumped and his breath caught. Eyes snapping open, he was greeted with the sight of Lancelot kneeling on the ground, face mere centimeters from his throbbing cock.

"Oh god," He moaned, torn between horror and raging lust. The sight made his hand squeeze tighter in need but he couldn't help the feeling of dread that formed in the pit of his stomach, telling him that this was wrong. However, this was quickly disregarded when Lancelot's tongue ran over his bottom lip apprehensively, and he reached his hand up, brushing Arthur's away and taking hold of Arthur, himself. Arthur's hand fell uselessly to his side, his whole body seemingly frozen in a state of shock. He felt like he was in a dream state, trapped in a land of surrealism. Everything came slamming back through him though when he felt Lancelet's hand wrap around him.

"Fuck." He'd have felt bad about the curse but this was _Lancelot _kneeling before him and _Lancelot _whohad wrapped his hand around Arthur's cock and _Lancelot _who was stroking his hand over Arthur's length and _Lancelot _who was making him arch and God be damned, it was too real, too wrong, and too erotic to make any form of sense but it was happening.

Lancelot leaned forward, tongue flexing lightly and poking out as he neared Arthur. The prince watched in earnest, feeling small, hot breaths hit the tip as Lancelot got closer. The man had a deep flush on his face and Arthur was hypnotized, unable to look away from the hunger in Lancelot's eyes. Arthur's breath stopped completely as Lancelot leaned further, sticking his tongue out and running it over the slit of Arthur's cock and making his hips flex and his stomach spasm. His eyes went wide as sparks closed roughly around him at the action, surprising him and delighting him at the same time.

Bottom lip trembling, he watched in horror and excitement as Lancelot leaned forward, wrapping his lips around the head of Arthur's cock. It was sinfully dirty and he knew it, but his body was aching in a need he couldn't quite comprehend the cause of so when Lancelot wrapped his lips around the head of Arthur's cock, the prince could only groan and clench his eyes shut as moist heat made him quiver.

It was something of a mystery to him how such simple touches could make him melt, could drive him crazy, and yet his mind still managed to wander to brief flashes of dark brown hair and innocent blue eyes. Still, he lacked the cognitive abilities to connect his thoughts with the man before him and, as such, was stripped of the ability to feel bad about them. However, deep down, a feeling of tension completely unrelated to pleasure began to form, producing a bit of sense in him, giving him the strength to attempt to stop Lancelot. He lowered his hand into silky brunette locks, realizing for the first time that he'd shut his eyes. Forcing them open, he felt his stomach contract in amazement. Lancelot was gorgeous. Absolutely and irrevocably gorgeous.

Each trait fanned in desire, Lancelot kneeled before him; his hair clinging to his forehead where a sheen of sweat had gathered, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, his face shimmering a deep pink, and his strong cheek bones hollowed as he sucked on Arthur's length. Every characteristic, every action sent Arthur's heart racing but they all paled in comparison to the man's _eyes._

Long lashes hung teasingly from half closed eye-lids and served to frame the picture of longing present in Lancelot's gaze. Arthur found that he couldn't look away as, coated in lust, dark chocolate orbs stared up at him, mirroring the want that pumped through Arthur's veins.

"Lancelot." He'd meant to tell the man to stop, that this situation was wrong, but when confronted with the man's flushed face and the image of Lancelot's ruby lips spread wide over the head of his cock, he could only manage to breathe out the name wantonly. Humming in response, Lancelot rushed forward, taking more of the length in his mouth and running his tongue over the tip of the prince's erection. Arthur's toes curled and his knees trembled, ready to give out below him. His fingers moved to claw at the tree bark behind him, struggling to hold himself up, and he almost gave in but Lancelot's hands came up to his hips, holding him tight and supporting him.

Arthur's breath caught again when he felt callused fingers dig into his hip bones, an intimate gesture in the wake of their predicament. He couldn't stop the whimper that built inside his chest and tore from between his lips as Lancelot bobbed his head, sucking at the appendage as he went. It was a tantalizing gesture that sent him spiraling further into lust.

"Oh," he gasped, eyes slipping shut again. With the visual gone the feeling was multiplied exponentially and all Arthur could pay attention to now was the sensation of the warm, wet orifice he was being engulfed in. His cock twitched and his thighs trembled as Lancelot moved over him in a steady rhythm. Lancelot hummed around him and Arthur shivered, vibrations coursing through his cock. It was maddening.

Arthur felt surreal, jumbled up. This was Lancelot, of course this was Lancelot, but he was far different from the one Arthur had come to know. He wasn't the warrior, Lancelot; the friend, Lancelot; the man, Lancelot. No, he was the Lancelot whose lips dragged along the flesh of Arthur's cock; stimulating nerves that made the prince's hips twitch forward, seeking more of the sensation. He was the Lancelot whose cheeks were wrapped warm and tight around the head of Arthur's erection, sending insurmountable heat through the prince's veins. He was the Lancelot whose tongue wandered over the vein along the underside of Arthur's dick than came back up to massage the tip. And, he was the Lancelot whose name Arthur moaned at each and every one of these actions, and whose hair Arthur tugged on, and whose mouth Arthur bucked into. Logically, Arthur knew that it was the same man and yet something in him denied it. But he didn't quite have the mental capabilities to examine it at the moment.

Everything in his mind became scattered and he couldn't quite process anything anymore, a deep flow of sparks and tingles disrupting his functions. Lancelot sped up, mouth moving faster over Arthur's sensitive flesh. The brunette brought a hand down to fondle at the base of the erection, stimulating the blonde further. Nerves in his cock seemed to light up, coursing through his body like lightning and Arthur groaned. His hips jolted forward, cock twitching as Lancelot's mouth surrounded it, creating an overwhelming warmth. Arthur could feel so many things at once, tight heat wrapped around him, fingers stimulating him, and the tongue that ran over the bottom of his penis, running along a nerve and making him arch into the action, tugging on brunette locks in desperation.

Arthur's stomach fluttered in need and his body shook, sweat running down his forehead and dropping downwards to coat spasming muscles. His clothes clung to him, reminding him of the boiling in his veins, and his bottom lip trembled as eager pants struggled past it. "Lancelot," he groaned, so lost in pleasure that he barely registered it.

Arthur's fingers clawed helplessly at the tree behind him, small splinters imbedding themselves into his hand, but he paid them no mind. Finally, thrusting his hips forward, he tumbled into ecstasy. It was horrible and beautiful at the same time as throbbing and writhing overtook him, drop after drop seeming to be yanked out of him in a painfully pleasurable fashion.

Lancelot's mouth stayed wrapped around him until the end.

**Line Break:**

Merlin awoke with a heavy burden pressing down on him and couldn't be quite sure as to the reason. However, he was soon reminded when a happy humming came from outside the tent. Aldwin. Merlin groaned at the realization, burying his head in his hands as a deep well of shame erupted in his chest. He couldn't believe what he'd done. He'd….with Aldwin. Merlin's eyes slipped shut against the world as the haunting understanding hit him. An image of Arthur flashed in his mind accompanied by a deep, lingering ache and Merlin couldn't deny that he not only missed the prince, but wanted him in a way that was entirely against his better interests.

The humming outside the tent ceased and Merlin's stomach seized up in anxiety. Aldwin. The boy was outside the tent and Merlin could almost _feel _him. It was nerve wracking and Merlin wanted to run, dear god, he wanted to run as far away from anything and everything as he could get, and for one second just be, to just exist in a state of peace and freedom for even one blissful moment. The thought set Merlin's heart alight and made him feel like he could fly. But he came crashing down soon enough when the flap of the tent was pulled back and Merlin could practically feel Aldwin peek his head inside.

"Merly-poo!" The cheerful voice shouted from nearby. Merlin jumped and lifted his head in surprise, looking over his shoulder. Aldwin was looking at him with his usual carefree expression, but there was something harsh in his features, something that silently communicated to Merlin that the prince was thinking about last night and that he _knew _Merlin was thinking about it, too. Something possibly a little too happy, as though Aldwin were trying too hard not to bring it up, or trying to somehow ease the other boy. "We should – uh…probably get going." Aldwin said awkwardly, a heavy pink coming to coat his face. Merlin became overly aware that his shirt had slipped upwards, exposing a bit of his abdomen, and that his position was less than modest. He coughed, pulling his blanket up to cover himself.

"Give me a minute." He said, staring at Aldwin like a deer caught in the headlights. The boy nodded, looking like he wanted to say something, but seemed to hold himself back, opting to back out of the tent instead.

The brunette felt relief at the privacy but couldn't deny that it came with a tiny bit of loss, an emptiness filling his chest that made him feel hollow, nonexistent. He couldn't be sure of the cause though. Perhaps it was the idea that he could have lost Aldwin's friendship, though he hadn't realized they'd had one, or the overwhelming change that such actions had brought. Whatever the feeling Merlin knew he didn't like it.

**Line Break:**

Aldwin pursed his lips and furrowed his brows, looking away from the tent for the dozenth time. Merlin would come out in his own time. It wouldn't do to dwell on anything, at least not at the moment.

"Right. Logs." He muttered, scratching the back of his head. They were in the middle of the mountains and, while he could see trees off in the distance, he would be hard pressed to find logs anywhere nearby. No logs, no fire, no food. Fantastic.

Aldwin shook his head in frustration, feeling a rumble build up in his stomach. Glancing around, he spotted a rabbit hopping nearby, nibbling on some clovers and grass.

"Tease." He muttered irritably, rubbing a hand over his stomach as it let out a growl.

"Hungry?" An amused voice sounded from nearby.

Aldwin looked up in surprise, finding Merlin standing by the tent and staring at him. "Famished." He admitted, shooting the rabbit a dirty look before turning to Merlin. The brunette lifted up his backpack and sifted through the pocket, pulling out a lump of material. Unfolding the fabric, he revealed a loaf of bread. "You brought food?" Aldwin said in amusement and relief. He watched as Merlin broke the loaf in half, offering a piece to Aldwin. The blonde hurried over, grabbing the bread and taking a huge bite out of it. He chewed gratefully, happy to have food after a day without it.

"Yes." Merlin replied sheepishly. "Arthur, he…" Merlin's voice broke a little at the other prince's name and Aldwin felt a spark of jealousy. "He gets cranky if he goes too long without food. I guess I just got in the habit of bringing snacks." The brunette admitted with a shrug, looking down at his bread contemplatively before taking a bite.

Aldwin, for once, didn't have a snarky reply, and decided to remain silent, flopping down on the ground to sit and stare at the mountains while he finished eating. Merlin followed suit, uneasily at first before relaxing beside him.

"How long have you lived in Camelot?" Aldwin asked when they'd finished their meal.

"Oh…um…" Merlin paused, thinking. Aldwin watched him, noticing a few crumbs had gathered at the side of his mouth. He debated between letting the brunette know or brushing them away himself but, in the end, decided to leave them there. They were oddly adorable, anyway. And that way, he thought to himself, if an opportunity presented itself, he would have the perfect opener.

"Two years." Merlin finally answered, drawing Aldwin away from his thoughts.

"Really? How long have you been Arthur's servant?" Aldwin asked, genuinely interested. If Merlin had only lived there two years he couldn't possibly have been Arthur's servant for long. Which would make Aldwin's task of luring him away that much easier.

"Two years." Merlin said.

Aldwin was taken aback, but hid it well. "Impressive." He muttered, leaning in a bit closer to the boy. "You must be very good." He whispered and Merlin's face took on a darker hue.

"No, just…unlucky." Merlin murmured, glancing away anxiously. Aldwin smirked, eyes straying down to the boy's mouth, where Merlin's tongue darted out nervously and ran over his bottom lip.

"Oh, you have some crumbs on the side of your mouth." Aldwin said as if he'd just noticed them.

"Where?" Merlin asked, reaching a hand up to brush them away.

"Allow me." Aldwin said, wrapping a hand around Merlin's and holding it while he reached up his other hand, fingers approaching the brunette's lips. Merlin flinched a little when Aldwin made contact but one glance into Merlin's eyes told him his attention wasn't wholly unwelcome. Looking back at the boy's mouth he brushed the crumbs away gently, letting his fingers linger afterwards, wandering over the brunette's lips.

"Aldwin?" Merlin stuttered, confusion evident in his voice. "We should-"

"Shhh." Aldwin whispered, leaning in closer to Merlin. He could feel the heat emanating from the boy before him and feel the slight gasp the boy let out. They were almost a breath apart and Aldwin felt a thrill go through his stomach. He moved, closing the distance between them.

"We should go." Merlin muttered, standing up quickly. Aldwin stamped down his disappointment and watched as Merlin hurried over to the tent and began dismantling it. He supposed he would just have to give the boy some time.

**Line Break:**

Merlin packed the tent quickly and before he knew it they were off, hiking again into the mountains. As time ticked by at an agonizingly slow pace, he could feel the small ball of anxiety forming in his stomach grow and morph until it was filling him to a painful degree. The whole time Aldwin remained uncharacteristically silent, not a word spoken between them.

However, that was quick to change as evening approached. They'd gotten further into the mountains, finding themselves confronting a rough terrain, and were stumbling over rocks and indents in the structure. Aldwin was right behind Merlin, the sound of stumbles and curses assuring the servant who was having just as difficult a time. Every once in a while, a small shout would sound and Merlin would look back to find Aldwin muttering as he stood back up, having fallen down as he tripped over a rock. He was quickly becoming desensitized to the occurance when it happened for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Aldwin, are you alright?" He asked almost lazily, glancing behind him tiredly. However, Aldwin wasn't there. "Aldwin?" Merlin asked, curiously glancing around. Aldwin, however, was nowhere in sight. "Aldwin!" Merlin shouted, fear rising within him.

"Merlin!" Aldwin's voice echoed in the background, choked and faraway.

Merlin walked in the direction he'd heard the voice come from. "Aldwin?" He shouted again, stumbling over a stone as he hurried.

"Merlin! Little help!" The prince shouted again and Merlin rushed forward. Peering over the ledge, he found Aldwin several feet below, stuck on a ridge and clutching at his ankle.

"Aldwin? Are you okay?" Merlin asked, concerned when he spotted several dots of blood on the ground.

"Depends." Aldwin replied. "Is my ankle supposed to bend this way?" He asked, grimacing and lifting up his leg to show Merlin. The brunette felt slightly sick as he saw that Aldwin's foot was facing an unnatural direction. "I'll take that as a 'No.'" Aldwin said as he looked at Merlin's face.

"Shite." Merlin muttered, glancing around. He wasn't entirely sure how Aldwin got down there and he had no idea how to get him back up. An idea occurred to him as he looked around but he brushed it away, trying to think of other options as he remembered Kilgharrah's warning.

'…_**you must not, under any circumstances, use magic.' **_

The dragon's voice, weak and faint, echoed in his mind but, studying his surroundings, Merlin realized in dismay that he had no other options.

"Hold on Aldwin!" Merlin told the prince. "I'll get you." He disappeared out of sight, walking away from the cliff and to an area he thought was secure. Closing his eyes he thought about the spell book, remembering a particular passage. _"Palthasash harth…el…" _Merlin paused as the words seemed to escape him. _"Palthasash harth el…lum?" _He finished lamely, peeking an eye open hopefully. Nothing had changed, however. "Um…_Palthasash harth el mir-"_

"Merlin?" The brunette jumped to find Aldwin standing behind him. A spark of apprehension flashed through him.

"I thought your ankle was…" He trailed off, facing Aldwin with wide eyes.

"It just…got better." Aldwin said with a shrug, looking just as confused as the servant felt.

"You were trapped." Merlin murmured, walking over to the ledge and looking over. A small path led from the ridge Aldwin had been stuck on up to the ledge. "How…?" Merlin knew for a fact that he hadn't done it. Or, at least, he was sure he hadn't.

"It just…appeared." Aldwin grumbled and stared down at the trail. They both stood in silence, watching it and not saying a word. Merlin jumped as, right before his eyes, the rocks began to shift and the ledge reshaped, pathway disappearing. Not only did it do so smoothly, but silently as well.

Merlin gaped at the stone, worry going through him. He looked up quickly to find Aldwin staring at him contemplatively.

"Did you…?" The blonde asked, gesturing to where the trail had been.

"What?" Merlin asked incredulously. "Why would you think I did that?"

The prince stared at him for a few seconds. "When I came up here you were casting a spell," Aldwin accused quickly.

"No I wasn't. I was…thinking. Out loud. In Latin. I do that," Merlin countered weakly.

"You…" Aldwin broke off, looking behind the brunette. Merlin turned around and groaned.

A loud noise sounded over the area and the mountain began to shake. Rocks crumbled away and moved, scraping, booming sounds accompanying them. Slowly, ever so slowly, a pathway formed, rocky and not nearly as smooth as the one Aldwin had used. Well, at least Merlin's spell had worked, even though it had taken awhile. Unfortunately Merlin wasn't sure which one. The ground shook below them as the spell suddenly came to a stop, leaving what Merlin was sure was a permanent trail leading down to the ridge. It sat before them innocently enough but Merlin only saw evidence of his crime, blaringly obvious and emanating from the stony passage.

"You're…" The brunette's attention was drawn to Aldwin who was staring at him, perturbed. Merlin swelled in panic, a flash of possible repercussions putting him on the defensive.

"I'm what?" He asked, voice more shaky than he'd have liked.

"Don't play stupid with me!" Aldwin growled, suddenly angry. "You're a sorcerer. You're a bleeding sorcerer!" A hint of ridicule came into his voice. "In Camelot. Prince Pendragon's manservant is a sorcerer. Unbelievable." Aldwin shook his head and ran a hand over his face, thoughtful.

Merlin had no idea what to do. First Lancelot, now Aldwin. If Aldwin told Arthur, which Merlin now realized was a very real possibility, then everything would be ruined.

"I'm not! I swear!" Merlin shouted, desperate.

"I'm not an idiot, Merlin. I _saw _you performing a spell." Aldwin said sternly, leaving no room for argument.

Merlin was frozen in place, staring at Aldwin helplessly.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Aldwin assured him, resignation in his voice.

"Really?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"Yes. Under one condition." Merlin, who had felt the smallest bit of relief fill him, was suddenly overcome with apprehension.

"What?" He asked hesitantly.

"You come to Cornwall with me." Aldwin smirked.

Merlin gaped at him, feeling completely at the prince's mercy. Thinking on it, however, he realized that he was.

"Do I have any other choice?" He asked.

"No." Aldwin said happily, giving Merlin a pat on the cheek and walking ahead.

**Line Break:**

Aldwin almost felt guilty as they set up camp that night, spotting the look of desolation on Merlin's face once again. He knew it was pointless to make conversation with the boy, as he'd tried to earlier that day, and garnered nothing more than one-word answers.

As they lay in bed, Aldwin found that sleep would not come to him, even as he felt Merlin, who admittedly had more reason for insomnia than Aldwin, drift off; the prince could not relax. However, he couldn't think of a solution. Certainly he could just keep Merlin's secret to himself, swear to the boy that he wouldn't say anything, and continue to let him live the charade with Arthur he'd come accustomed to. The downside of that being that he wouldn't have Merlin to himself. He could certainly try to win Merlin over with only his charm, but, though that was a possibility, blackmail was faster. But there was another concern that hovered in the back of his mind.

Magic was illegal in Camelot. If anyone found out about Merlin, he would surely be put to death and Aldwin couldn't live with himself if he allowed that to happen. Of course he'd vehemently deny that, were his reasoning questioned.

"Hello?" A painfully familiar voice shouted from outside the tent. Aldwin looked at Merlin quickly. The boy was fast asleep. "Hello?" The voice shouted again and Aldwin groaned in irritation, Getting up he exited the tent, glancing around curiously and freezing when he saw two figures outside.

Fortunately Merlin had started a fire earlier and Aldwin could see the two figures clearly in the glowing light. This was only fortunate since it kept him from having to get closer to them but unfortunate because the sight of their faces irritated Aldwin more than he'd like to admit.

"Would you kindly shut up?" Aldwin hissed.

Arthur and Lancelot glanced up sharply, a look of distaste coming to the other prince's face when he saw Aldwin.

"Oh for gods sake." Arthur cursed, looking at the blonde in dismay. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the mood for a holiday," Aldwin said sarcastically. "What do you think?"

"Lancelot, let's go," Arthur growled. "We'll find another place to set up-"

"Arthur?" A questioning voice said from the tent.

All three turned to find Merlin peering out curiously. Aldwin cursed internally, having hoped that Merlin would stay asleep so he could shoo Arthur and Lancelot off before they knew he was there.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked, staring at the brunette in surprise.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: …*cough* Hello! *echoes* Anybody here?...No?**

**Anyway, So, life is unpredictable and, as such, it's taken me a year to write this chapter. For that, I am sorry. Also, Fanfiction (dot net) is being odd and deleting a lot of the M rated stories, so in the event that my stories get deleted and I get banned (let's face it, it was a long time coming, despite the fact that I've followed the rules…I think) I was thinking about setting up a profile at another fanfiction site where I can post my stories. Since I'm hoping you guys will follow me, I figured I'd ask for your input. Is there anywhere else you'd like to see my stories? **

**Chapter 27; 'Back in My Day...we didn't have line breaks, we had to actually write 'Line Break.' You kids with your fancy newfangled word processing options.'**

_Something came to his mind, slowly, as the pleasure began to ease. Little flashes of a fantasy he'd never known existed in his mind but seemed oh so clear to him now, almost as if happening in real life. _

_He could feel Merlin against him—could sense the boy's body, his heat, and his breath. He wasn't sure how he knew it was Merlin but he knew. Somewhere deep down in his being, he could sense that the body near his was Merlin and it sent a warmth in his abdomen. _

_Arthur shook and forced his eyes open curiously, so immersed in the feeling that he could swear Merlin was there. His stomach dropped, furled when he came face to face with Lancelot, the brunette panting as he stared at him with wide eyes. The air around them was tense and Arthur felt a growing anxiety slam through him, making him feel uncomfortable and out of place. _

It wasn't till he was staring straight into Merlin's face; meeting eyes that shimmered in firelight and hair that stuck out from sleep, that those memories swirled in his mind. It was a harsh reminder for him and he felt a feeling he couldn't quite identify. Perhaps it was guilt, perhaps it was discomfort, and perhaps it was shame. Arthur sighed as he felt the latter take him in waves.

_They walked quietly in the forest, making some sort of progress though Arthur couldn't be bothered to pay attention to it. He was preoccupied with his feelings of extreme discomfort. He couldn't quite understand it, at the time what he and Lancelot had done seemed like an appealing idea but now he wanted nothing more than to be left alone, far away from the other knight. It was odd though, he hadn't felt like this after he and Merlin had…fooled around. _

_Fooled around? That didn't seem right. The term wasn't quite appropriate for what he and Merlin had done. Made L- No, he wouldn't go that far. Been intimate? Yes, that felt better. Far more accurate than the previous terms. _

_No, after he and Merlin had been intimate all Arthur felt was a level of satisfaction and contentment, accompanied by only a small level of discomfort. Of course the discomfort he'd felt then had only been attributed to the forbidden nature of their actions. However, what he'd felt with Lancelot was just…wrong; a dirtiness that left him feeling unsatisfied and antsy. _

**_Line Break_**

* * *

Arthur stared at Merlin, shame eclipsed by the longing in his chest. He wished, not for the first time that he didn't have his own obligations and that, just for one moment, he and Merlin could be alone, together, for even the shortest amount of time. It was silly really, such a frivolous thing to hope for and Arthur usually brushed it off, realizing the importance of his other obligations, and he'd often been able to move on quite happily with his usual activities. But after Aldwin, after Lancelot, after everything that had happened over the last week, he just wanted a moment's peace to be able to communicate with Merlin the way he once had and to be able to just, at the very least, be friends with the servant once again. And, as he stared into the brunette's eyes, he felt like that was actually a possibility.

_**Line Break**_

* * *

_They didn't talk again till dinner. Arthur had found a wild bird some miles ago and had begun tracking it, finally managing to shoot it down just as the sun was setting. They'd built a fire in silence and roasted the bird, barely a word passing between them. But now, as they both munched on their meal, Lancelot found it fit to speak to him. _

"_Sire." The knight said and Arthur looked up in surprise. _

"_Yes, Lancelot?" He asked voice slightly hoarse from not speaking almost the entire day. It was, quite frankly, a first for him. _

"_I am sorry for my actions earlier, and I-"_

"_Lancelot." Arthur interrupted firmly. "Let's not talk about it." Lancelot stared at him contemplatively for a few seconds before nodding, smiling at Arthur and seeming to relax. _

"_Very well, sire." The knight said. _

_The rest of the evening passed by quickly after that. They managed to engage in idle, albeit stilted, chatter until dinner was over, after which they sat peacefully by the fire._

"_Sire." Lancelot spoke up once again, voice hesitant. _

"_Yes?" _

**_Line Break_**

* * *

Arthur didn't take his eyes away from Merlin, didn't for once give up his hold on those curious blue orbs gazing back at him, but his attention shifted to Aldwin, who he could vaguely see standing behind the manservant. Even from Arthur's blurred perspective, the other prince looked like an arse.

Arthur's shame was quickly accompanied by a great sense of irritation. An angry burn furled deep in his abdomen, morphing his expression into something more sinister then the surprised gaze he held earlier. He was angry. Very angry.

"_What?" Arthur suddenly perked up, looking at Lancelot in shock. "What do you mean?"_

_The brunette balked. "I thought you knew. Aldwin's asked Merlin to go to Cornwall with him."  
"What did Merlin say?" Arthur was suddenly awake. _

"_I'm not sure." Lancelot said honestly. _

_Arthur quickly stood up. "Come on." He snapped to the knight. _

"_But sire, it's dark." The brunette protested. _

"_We can still make progress." The prince snapped. _

**_Line Break_**

* * *

Arthur was a little ashamed to admit he'd spent the last three hours searching for Merlin. How he managed to find him, he still wasn't sure. Maybe it was kismet or maybe he'd spent so much time around the servant that he knew how his mind worked. That was a frightening thought.

"Merlin, what are you doing here?" Arthur finally asked. Had the servant actually decided to go with Aldwin?

"I was going after Gwen and Morgana." Merlin said.

There was a pregnant pause as everyone shifted awkwardly, looking away and clearing their throats. Given their recent shenanigans, the phrase didn't seem as noble as it once would have.

"With Aldwin?" Arthur asked when they were all finished feeling ashamed of themselves.

"Yes." Aldwin chimed in with a smirk, enjoying the slight twitch in Arthur's eye.

"We sort of met up." Merlin explained. He ran a hand up, swiping it through his mussed up hair as a yawn went through him. Arthur frowned. He didn't like being yawned at while he was interrogating.

"Merlin." Arthur half said, half growled, walking forward. "We need to talk." He grabbed Merlin's wrist, dragging him away from the tent. Merlin made a surprised noise as he was pulled along behind the prince. Merlin followed Arthur until they were away from the campsite and out of view before he pulled his arm away, looking defiantly at the prince. Arthur turned to face him, brows furrowing in curiosity as Merlin glared up at him.

Merlin was seething. General irritation and sleepiness combined with his anger at the prince and made him more likely to snap. Still, he tried to refrain. "What, _sire?"_ He couldn't kept he edge out of his voice when he used the title, though, and Arthur didn't miss it.

"Are you angry with me?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms.

"No, I like it when you boss me around and drag me all over the place. It gets me all tingly."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Merlin."

"Who said I was being sarcastic?"

Arthur's eyebrows lifted in interest. "So you meant it?"

Merlin's mind wondered. He pictured Arthur standing over him, shirtless and telling him what to do. His stomach flipped and, curiously, he reversed the situation. He pictured Arthur, shirtless, wearing a blindfold and kneeling down in front of him, following Merlin's orders as the servant bossed him around. Warmth pooled in his groin and he stared down at Arthur's shirt, willing it to remove itself. He was sure there was a spell for that.

"Merlin?" Arthur said, looking curiously at his servant.

"Huh?" Merlin looked up at Arthur, coming back to the conversation.

Before they could get distracted, Arthur took a deep breath before saying what he wanted to say. "You're not going to Cornwall."

"What?" Merlin asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

"I'm the prince, Merlin, I know everything."

Merlin scoffed and Arthur's lips pursed angrily.

"You're my manservant; you can't just leave like that." Arthur snapped. "And I thought we covered this already."

"What if I want to go?" Merlin countered.

"Merlin, it's Cornwall." Arthur said incredulously. "Nobody wants to go there. Not even Aldwin and he lives there."

Merlin debated his response carefully. He didn't really have a choice in the matter as far as he could see and, if he were being perfectly honest, Arthur was making it really difficult to want to stay. Arthur took in a deep breath, looking at Merlin seriously.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

"What?" Merlin asked, bewildered.

"Have I…hurt you?" Arthur struggled on the last two words.

Maybe it was the lateness of the hour or the ridiculousness of the situation, but Merlin laughed.

"Did I say something funny?" Arthur bristled.

"No, you said something smart for a change." Merlin replied, smiling in amusement.

"Then why are you laughing?""

"Because I'm confused," Merlin sighed, his smile fading, "And I'm tired." Merlin sat down on a nearby stone. He took in a deep breath of the night air, forgetting his troubles and looking up at the stars. He was peaceful, serene – if only for the moment. Rays of moonlight cascaded onto the brunette's face and Arthur felt frozen, staring down at the man as though he was seeing him for the first time. He realized that he probably was.

Arthur didn't connect with this Merlin. He had trouble connecting with Merlin on most days, but the one he was shown in that moment – the man, not the boy or the servant, but the man – was someone he'd never been privy to. There was something in his face, something in the stoicism in his expression that made Arthur want to know him.

Arthur sat down on the stone beside Merlin, watching the man carefully. Merlin's expression was gentle, but strong. He carried in his face all the pain and all the happiness of his life, revealing to Arthur a world of experience and secrets. How it was possible to do so with one expression, Arthur couldn't understand. Perhaps it was just Arthur's imagination. Whatever the cause, the result was captivating.

Arthur tried to memorize this moment, this rare glimpse of Merlin uninhibited. He took in his lips, his jaw, his cheeks, the way his nose curved, his eyebrows, and finally, his beautiful eyes. Merlin's blue orbs were lost, gazing up at the night sky and looking impossibly bright in the moonlight. They flickered over at Arthur and Merlin cocked his head, turning his attention away from the stars and to Arthur. He looked at the prince curiously.

"Arthur?"

Arthur coughed, looking away from Merlin and out at the view. It really was rather spectacular, with the moon and the stars and the mountains off in the distance. "It's a beautiful night." He said, ignoring the flush on his face. He felt subconscious, overly aware of the Merlin watching him as he spoke.

"Yes, it is." Merlin said, smiling and looking back out at the scenery.

**Meanwhile with Aldwin and Lancelot:**

"Well, this is going to stink." Aldwin muttered, staring at the fire petulantly. "You know you're a rat, right?" He said to Lancelot.

"What?"

"I know a rat when I see one, Lancelot." Aldwin hissed, glaring at the other man. Lancelot's stomach flipped at the use of his name. He liked the emphasis Aldwin placed on the syllables and the primal growl in his tone, even if it was from irritation. Aldwin met Lancelot's eyes, ignoring the little thrill that went through him at their intensity. "And you, sir, are a gigantic, smelly rat."

Lancelot smiled playfully, his brown eyes sparkling over the fireplace. "You called me sir." He said in amusement.

Aldwin rolled his eyes, grumpy. He didn't like being woken up in the middle of the night. He didn't do well with lack of beauty sleep.

"You're not as sharp as you usually are." Lancelot noted.

"I'm done dealing with you." Aldwin said, yawning. He stood up, deciding that the squabbling could wait till morning. "When Arthur gets back, tell him I said to go fuck himself." Aldwin turned, heading back to his tent. Lancelot stood up, ready to follow him. "By the way," Aldwin shouted, not looking back. "I claim Merlin as my eternal bunk mate, so don't even think about entering this tent."

"But-" Lancelot started.

"Knight's Oath!" Aldwin shouted, ducking into his tent and closing the flap behind him.

Lancelot sighed, taking his seat and waiting for Arthur and Merlin to come back.

**A/N: The line breaks were kind of hard to see so I just wrote line break. Please Review?**


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